Start procurement of paddy immediately: CPI (M)

CPI (M) leader Julakanti Ranga Reddy and farmers show paddy that germinated as it was lying in the open in unfavourable weather conditions as a result of delay in procurement by the government, at Arjalabavi in Nalgonda on Friday. (Source: The Hindu)

Leaders of the Communist Party of India (Marxist) on Friday criticised the State government for delaying paddy procurement process for the season.

Although it was declared that procurement through IKP centres would begin from Monday, officials have remained silent as instructions from the top are yet to be signalled, they said.

According to former legislator Julakanti Ranga Reddy, “Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao loves temples, but not farmers. The farmers have been waiting with their heaps of produce out in the open almost for three weeks now.”

Earlier, meeting farmers at the designated IKP centre at Arjalabavi on the town outskirts, Mr. Ranga Reddy said each farmer, for delay in procurement by the government, was incurring ₹ 800 labour charges towards maintenance of per acre of produce per day.

At least 50% of farmers, who had grown paddy near agricultural wells and wet areas in the district, have been waiting with their produce, he said.

District secretary M. Sudhakar Reddy pointed that the district administration had run close to 180 paddy procurement centres last year and said the same must be repeated now.

The leaders demanded the State government to direct district administrations for immediate commencement of procurement, failing which the CPI (M) cadres would stage protests and demonstrations at the collectorates starting Monday.