Rajahmundry: YSR Congress farmers' wing leader M.V.S. Nagireddy demanded the state government set up paddy purchase centres and start purchasing the produce immediately.
Speaking to newsmen here on Thursday, he criticised the state government for failing to start paddy purchase centres so far even though there is reportedly a bumper crop this rabi season especially in Godavari districts. He said that the state government could take decisions on purchase of paddy and fix remunerative price for it and other issues as they were routine matters and they should not raise any contradiction with regard to implementation of model code of conduct due to the polls.
He said that out of 6.30 lakh hectares where paddy was raised in the state, the contribution of twin districts of Godavari in cultivation of paddy was 3.23 lakh hectares and asked the Collectors from both the districts to send proposals to the state government to act on purchase of paddy and cautioned that if the government intended to set up paddy purchase centres at its will, by that time, paddy would fall into the hands of middlemen causing hardships to the farmers for not getting proper remunerative price for their produce.
He asked the officials to speak out openly in case the state government was hesitating to purchase paddy from the farmers even after they had sent proposals to that effect and opined that though the state government was barred for taking up review on Amaravati and Polavaram projects, it was supposed to take up urgent issues on priority basis to safeguard the interests of the farmers.
