The Agriculture and Civil Supplies Departments have intensified procurement of paddy that was sprouted due to recent rains in Dr. B.R. Ambedkar Konaseema district.
District Collector Himanshu Shukla told The Hindu that at least 1,400 metric tonnes of paddy that was sprouted on the field was procured on Saturday alone. “The sprouted paddy is being sent to boiled rice mills for processing. The government will transport the sprouted and damaged paddy free of cost,” said Mr. Himanshu Shukla.
The sprouted paddy will be processed as broken rice which will be exported to various countries from the Kakinada coast. A day after TDP national president N. Chandrababu Naidu alleged poor response from the State government to procure the damaged paddy in the Konaseema region, Backward Classes Welfare Minister Ch. Venu Gopala Krishna has claimed that ₹380 crore financial aid was given to the Konaseema farmers since kharif 2019-20.
“The Konaseema farmers have received aid from the State and Centre through the input subsidy and crop insurance. The entire damaged paddy will be procured,” said Mr. Venu Gopala Krishna.
In Eluru district, Special Officer for Paddy Procurement (Eluru District) and Water Resource Department Principal Secretary Shashi Bhushan Kumar claimed that paddy worth ₹240 crore had been procured till May 6 in the Eluru district.
Reacting to the complaints on the transportation facility and charges, Mr. Shashi Bhushan Kumar has said that the officials concerned should ensure the preparation of the ‘track sheet’ of the vehicles to be engaged for transportation of the paddy.
In West Godavari district, Civil Supplies Minister Karumuri Nageswara Rao told the newsmen that gunny bags were being supplied to meet the demand and speed up the paddy procurement drive in the Godavari region that was affected by the recent rains.
