Please confirm rice procurement target during Rabi season: KCR writes to PM Modi

In his letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister K.Chandrashekar Rao requested him to direct the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to enhance the target beyond 40 lakh MTs for procurement of rice during the ongoing Kharif - 2021-22 to 90 percent of the production as has been done in Punjab.

He also urged the Prime Minister to direct the FCI to complete the procurement of the remaining five lakh MTs of rice produced in Rabi - 2020-21.

To clear confusion and fix the appropriate target for procurement, the CM said he had personally met Union Minister for Food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal in September 2020 and requested him to fix the annual target for procurement immediately. He said no policy decision has been taken and communicated to the state to date.

"Due to the enormous increase in irrigation facilities after the formation of the state, Telangana is not only able to meet its food grain requirement but has become a huge grain surplus state. FCI, which has the mandate of ensuring food security for the people by maintaining the buffer stocks and supplying rice and wheat through the Public Distribution System (PDS), is following certain policies which are creating confusion in the minds of farmers as well as the state government," he said.

The CM said due to the policies, it is becoming difficult for the states to plan an appropriate cropping pattern and explain the same to the farmers. For instance, even though the production of rice in Telangana during Kharif 2020-2021 was 55.75 lakh Metric tons (LMT), the procurement was only 32.66 LMT which is 59 percent of the production.

"This was less than the 78 percent procurement in Kharif 2019-20, he pointed out. Such wide variations in procurement levels do not allow the state to implement a rational cropping pattern," the CM said.

The entire cabinet, elected representatives, and Rythu Bandhu Samithi workers will participate in the dharna. This would be the party's second protest program in six days. The ruling party hit the roads on November 12 demanding that the Center procure paddy/rice produced in the Rabi season. In a press conference on Tuesday, the CM said.

"BJP is adopting a dual policy on paddy procurement. The Center should clarify the extent of paddy (target) for the entire year, and the quantity of raw rice they want to procure in the coming. yasangi (rabi) season," he said.

The chief minister declared that the pink party would introduce resolutions in the state assembly against new farm laws and black laws'. He said the party's elected representatives would question the Center at various forums till it gives clarity.