With the government deciding to procure the entire paddy produced by the farmers this season, Chief Secretary Sri Somesh Kumar IAS held a teleconference with District Collectors, Additional Collectors, agriculture, marketing and civil supplies department officials and took stock of the situation in the respective districts.
This follows the directions of the Honourable Chief Minister Sri K Chandrashekar Rao to initiate steps on a war footing basis and to ensure that the entire district official machinery is geared up in this task.
Chief Secretary instructed the collectors to set up a special control room to daily monitor the progress of paddy procurement in the district. A special control room is also being set up in the state. A meeting should be held immediately involving the ministers and senior officials to formulate an action plan for paddy procurement in the district.
Elaborate measures should be made at the paddy procurement centres and should be inaugurated immediately. Collectors, Additional collectors and other senior officials should daily visit at least four paddy procurement centres.
Chief Secretary directed that the number of centres should be more than those set up last year. A special officer should be appointed for every procurement centre to monitor the operations. Emphasis should be laid on procuring gunny bags under the supervision of a special officer exclusively for procuring gunny bags.
The services of the agricultural extension officers should be totally utilized for paddy procurement to ensure that the farmers get the minimum support price which has been fixed at Rs 1960 per quintal.
Chief Secretary stated that officials should immediately resolve any issue that is brought to their notice in their districts. Arrangements should be made to transport the paddy procured. Daily paddy procurement reports should be submitted.
Chief Secretary noted that the agriculture department officials have the total sowing details, as such proper planning should be made to procure the entire paddy. Police and transport officials’ support should be taken to ensure that paddy from neighbouring states does not enter the state.
