BJP to launch agitation demanding speedy procurement of paddy in Karimnagar parliamentary constituency-OxBig News Network

Lashing out at the Congress dispensation in Telangana over what he called “inordinate delay” in procurement of paddy, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Bandi Sanjay Kumar has said the BJP cadres will organise a slew of agitation programmes in Karimnagar parliamentary constituency.

BJP functionaries will submit representations to tahsildars in all mandals in the constituency on November 4 as part of the phased agitation programme to safeguard the interests of farmers, he said.

In a statement issued here on Sunday, Mr. Sanjay said though it has been almost a month since the paddy harvest season began, procurement has not yet commenced.

“Notwithstanding the government’s claims of setting up 7,572 paddy procurement centres across the State and opening of 4,598 centres among these, procurement has not yet started at any centre so far,” he alleged.

Farmers are a worried lot as the paddy procurement centres are filled to capacity, forcing some of them to leave their harvest along the road. The recent spell of rain aggravated the woes of farmers with a major chunk of the harvested paddy soaked, he pointed out.

“In some areas, the farmers are being compelled to sell their paddy to millers at a throwaway price,” he said.

Mr Sanjay demanded that the State government immediately initiate speedy procurement of every grain of paddy as promised and extend the bonus of ₹500 per quintal for all types including coarse rice.