BJP MP writes to Centre outlining 'irregularities' in procuring paddy in Telangana
May 04, 2020
Hyderabad (Telangana) [India], May 4 : BJP leader and Nizamabad MP Arvind Dharmapuri on Monday wrote to Union Minister Ram Vilas Paswan, regarding alleged 'irregularities' in the procurement of paddy from farmers in Telangana.
Highlighting the irregularities, Dharmapuri in the letter said: "Currently, the millers are paying only for 93 kg per quintal paddy brought by farmers. This unreasonable 7 kg reduction per quintal never existed before."
"The lame excuses for this diminished purchase from millers is moisture and excess husk, which is almost impossible in these scorching heats," he added.
The Nizamabad MP said that the underlying reason for this 'inhuman act' of millers is to compensate their losses incurred from the sale of byproducts -- husk, rice bran, oil, broken rice, etc -- at lower prices due to lockdown.
"The unholy nexus between rice miller associations -- headed mostly by TRS associates -- and government officials are dumping their losses on the innocent farmers," the MP added.
Dharmapuri has further requested the Union Minister to curb these 'irregularities' in the State.
In a video message, the MP said: "In Rajanna sircilla district/constituency, represented by Kalvakuntla Taraka Rama Rao (Minister of MA&UD, Industries and IT&C and Chief Minister's son), farmers set their paddy ablaze because the products they had brought to the market was not being procured and rice millers were imposing inappropriate conditions of wastage."
"Today, the farmers climbed on the cell tower for same reasons to express their grief to the State government," he added.
