CM KCR messed up procurement issue, says Eatala Rajender

Hyderabad: Huzurabad BJP legislator Eatala Rajender on Thursday criticised Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao for being irresponsible for sufferings of State farmers for 45 days without procuring paddy.

Addressing the media here, he pointed out that the TRA Maha dharna "is not beginning of war against the Centre, but beginning of downfall of KCR, his family and his party, which will have no future in Telangana."

Rajender said the Centre had agreed to procure 47 LMT of rice in current kharif. The Centre bears cost of everything in the process of paddy procurement, besides rice given to FCI.

He said, "the CM has claimed Telangana is the only State giving free water, power, adopting comprehensive scientific agriculture and exporting seeds to the world, but, is not ready to implement the suggestions of experts on the need to enhance capacity/technology of rice mills against the waning demand for para boiled rice from Kerala and Tamil Nadu, besides increasing paddy production".

"Earlier, the government proposed to create zones of rice millers and assured to support the mills for change of technology. But, except empty words, nothing has been done in the past two years. The Centre has been informing Telangana for the past three years that parboiled rice is not in demand."

The former minister said the government will have to stop all payments for three months to raise funds for the Rythu Bandhu scheme. Besides, funds for development and other schemes have been released only where and when there are by-elections. There are no funds for the Assembly Constituency Development Programme (ACDP). All development works are being taken up with Central and MGNREGS funds.

Eatala claimed that post-Huzurabad by-poll several MLAs and other leaders are introspecting about what is in store for them. "They will make a decision on remaining with the pink party at the right time", he asserted.