Congress outperforms BRS in paddy procurement: Uttam

Hyderabad: In a sharp rebuttal to the criticism from the BRS party, Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Thursday released comparative figures that he said ‘completely expose’ the misinformation being spread by the opposition on paddy procurement.

Sharing official data, the Minister pointed out that under the Congress government, Telangana has procured 60.61 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of paddy during the ongoing Rabi 2024-25 season, up to May 22. This, he noted, was a massive jump of over 24 lakh tonnes compared to the 36.63 LMT procured during the same period in Rabi 2022-23 when BRS was in power. “Figures don’t lie. The Congress government has procured more paddy this Rabi season than the BRS government could during the same period two years ago. Yet, they continue to spread daily lies about procurement delays and farmer distress,” said Uttam Kumar Reddy.

He accused BRS leaders of deliberately misleading farmers and the public to mask their own failures. “When they were in power, they left farmers standing in long queues and did not even open enough procurement centres. Now, they cry foul as Congress ensures that procurement continues without discrimination,” he remarked.

Uttam Kumar Reddy also announced that the State government had instructed all District Collectors to procure even rain-affected and moisture-laden paddy to ensure that no farmer is left in distress. “Our government will not rest till the last grain is procured,” he affirmed. He reminded that the Congress-led government had taken up a more humane and proactive approach towards procurement, establishing thousands of centres closer to the fields and ensuring timely payments.