Govt reducing paddy procurement targets, claims Harish Rao

Hyderabad: Former minister T Harish Rao alleged that the state govt was quietly reducing its paddy procurement target from 90 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) to 75 LMT. He said that if the govt continues on this path, it may soon declare that procurement has been completed while thousands of farmers are still waiting to sell their produce.He questioned how the govt could claim that Telangana had produced a record 1.41 crore metric tonnes of paddy while limiting procurement to just 75 LMT.“The govt claims it will purchase every grain produced by farmers. If that is true, why has it reduced its own procurement target?” he asked in a statement on Friday.He reminded the govt that during the 2020-21 Yasangi season, the BRS govt had procured 92.39 LMT of paddy, setting a new record in the country’s history.“While farmers are taking to the streets in protest, the govt continues to claim that procurement is progressing smoothly. This is nothing short of shameful,” he said.He said speeches delivered from air-conditioned rooms in Hyderabad would not solve farmers’ problems. “The govt should visit procurement centres, witness the difficulties being faced by farmers firsthand, and wipe their tears instead of making hollow claims,” he said.On behalf of the BRS party, Harish Rao demanded that the govt stop focusing on arbitrary procurement targets and instead ensure speedy procurement operations. He urged the govt to purchase every grain brought by farmers and fulfil its commitment to the farming community.