The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has alleged that the State government has left the farmers, who are getting their paddy produce to the purchase centres, at the mercy of nature as weighing of paddy is not taking place even after 25 days at several places, though untimely rain is damaging the produce across the State.
Addressing a press conference here on Wednesday along with the party leaders, working president of BRS K.T. Rama Rao said the agriculture sector was pushed into crisis again immediately after the Congress party had come to power and the farmers who were bringing the produce to purchase centres were being put to all sorts of troubles.
The Congress leaders who spoke of morals when in opposition were not raising their voices now despite the procurement personnel deducting at least 3.5 kg per every quintal of paddy in the name of chaff and other wastage. There was severe shortage of gunny sacks and neither officials nor elected representatives of the ruling party were available to the farming community for taking their problems to the notice of officials.
Citing a few examples of inordinate delays in weighing the paddy brought to the purchase centres, the BRS leader said it was being delayed up to 25 days at several centres in Kamareddy, Nirmal, Sircilla, Yadadri-Bhuvanagiri and others. He suggested the government to focus on procurement of paddy and other issues of farming community since the election was over. He demanded that the government speed up paddy procurement, purchase rain-soaked paddy, pay bonus of ₹500 per quintal, instruct field-level authorities not to deduct weight of paddy in the name of chaff and other wastage. Mr. Rama Rao assured the farming community that the BRS would be on their side till the government responded positively and speeded up paddy procurement, and asked the farmers not to lose hope.
