Arwind said the present administration had failed to meet agreed commitments and repeatedly delayed purchases, which he termed as “criminal” dereliction that hurts farmers
HYDERABAD: BJP MP D. Arvind on Friday attacked Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy for threatening to dump paddy in front of the BJP office and its senior leaders, asserting that the Centre does not fix procurement targets unilaterally and that state estimates are finalised after consultation with state authorities and the Food Corporation of India (FCI). Accusing the Congress government over its Rabi paddy procurement, Arwind said the present administration had failed to meet agreed commitments and repeatedly delayed purchases, which he termed as “criminal” dereliction that hurts farmers.
Talking to newsmen at the state party office, Arvind said BJP‑ruled states had largely met or exceeded their targets, while Telangana — promised 142.5 lakh metric tonnes — had procured only about 106.78 lakh tonnes, leaving a shortfall of some 35.7 lakh tonnes. He listed other states’ figures to argue that shortfalls are not inevitable and blamed Telangana’s poor planning, lack of procurement centres and absence of labour, bags and transport arrangements for post‑harvest losses and quality deterioration.
He urged the state marketing department to modernise market yards, strengthen storage and logistics, and proactively develop export and value‑addition markets rather than rely on political rhetoric. Arwind criticised what he called cosmetic announcements, leadership courses, “future city” projects and grand promises, while basic agricultural infrastructure, timely procurement and farmer incomes were neglected.
Highlighting the need for crop diversification and scientific market studies, Arwind demanded a public release of procurement plans, pending project lists and concrete timelines for implementation. He also called for policies promoting food processing, market connectivity and higher returns than MSP through state initiatives.
He warned that continued inaction would deepen farmers’ distress and urged the state to stop “political games” and work with seriousness to safeguard the agricultural economy and rural livelihoods.
