CM KCR shoots paddy missive to PM Modi

Hyderabad: Ahead of the possible meeting of official delegation of TRS ministers with Union Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Piyush Goyal on Thursday, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Wednesday shot off a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging him to direct the Union Ministry to procure entire marketable surplus of paddy procured during the rabi season.

Earlier during the day, TRS MPs met Piyush Goyal in Parliament House and told him that Ministers were waiting for his appointment. He said he would try to meet them on Thursday depending upon the Parliament proceedings. Interestingly, in a written reply to a member, Goyal said that it was not possible to buy paddy or rice depending upon the produce in the state.

There are several issues like demand and supply, prevailing market rate, MSP etc.

Meanwhile, the CM in his letter wanted Modi to hold a meeting with agricultural experts and Chief Ministers to discuss and formulate a suitable National Procurement Policy. He said that the Union Ministry was not showing interest to procure paddy for the last two years.

He said MSP implementation and enforcement of the National Food Security Act 2013 was primarily the responsibility of the Union Government. If the Centre did not procure paddy, it will have an adverse effect on the farming sector, overall economy and also adversely affect the goal of national food security, he added.

KCR brought to the notice of the PM that the Centre was procuring an entire marketable surplus of paddy and wheat in some states like Punjab and Haryana but not in states like Telangana. The Centre should procure an entire quantity of paddy after meeting the State's PDS requirements. Such a policy should have suitable statutory backing to ensure its implementation, the CM opined.

KCR said there should be a uniform procurement policy for the entire nation. Inconsistent and uncertain policies of the country cause a high degree of frustration and dissatisfaction among the farmers, he added.