Ensure Smooth Procurement of Paddy: Collector Badavath Santosh

Nagar kurnool: Nagarkurnool: District Collector Badavath Santosh instructed that the paddy procurement process should be carried out smoothly, and millers must strictly adhere to government regulations during loading and unloading operations.

On Friday, the Collector visited the paddy procurement center set up by the Primary Agricultural Cooperative Society in Nallavelli village of Nagarkurnool Mandal. He was accompanied by Additional District Collector Dev Sahayam and Tahsildar Tabitha Rani.

During the visit, the Collector inspected the moisture content of the paddy spread by farmers at the center, reviewed the procurement registers, and enquired whether the data was being updated regularly in the OPMS (Online Procurement Management System). He also asked whether the moisture content was being monitored daily and whether the procured paddy was being transported to mills promptly. He interacted with the center’s staff to gather more details about the paddy heaps spread by farmers.

The center officials informed the Collector that they were updating procurement details regularly in OPMS and monitoring the moisture levels daily. They stated that as soon as the moisture levels reached the required standard, the weighing process was completed, and the paddy was dispatched to the mills accordingly.

Collector Santosh emphasized that once procurement is completed at the centers, the details must be immediately entered into OPMS to ensure that farmers receive timely payments. He advised authorities to take necessary precautions to prevent paddy from getting soaked due to untimely rains. Paddy should not be stored at the centers for long periods—once the required moisture level is reached, procurement should be completed and the grain dispatched to the respective mills on the same day.

He instructed officials to remain vigilant, and directed Civil Supplies Department personnel to visit and monitor the procurement centers daily. He warned center officials that any harassment of farmers during the procurement process would not be tolerated and would invite strict action. He also directed that registers must be maintained properly with complete details such as date, farmer name, phone number, and procurement data.

Earlier, the Collector also visited a rice mill, reviewed the loading and unloading processes, inspected the stock register, and gave necessary suggestions for efficient management.