Telangana CM asks officials to invoke ESMA against traders troubling farmers in paddy procurement

Telangana CM Revanth Reddy takes strict action against traders hindering paddy procurement, ensuring farmers receive MSP.

Telangana Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy instructed the officials to take stringent action against those who created problems for the farmers in Paddy procurement.

Reacting to some incidents of farmers protesting against a lack of procurement arrangements and allegations that rice millers were forming a syndicate to deny the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy, the Chief Minister asked the authorities to take action under the Essential Services Maintenance Act (ESMA), if necessary, against such traders.

Mr. Reddy spoke to top officials concerned soon after receiving information about the incidents creating trouble for farmers across the state. He said farmers should not be misled, cheated, or harassed during the paddy procurement as the government was committed to buying paddy.

The Chief Minister suggested that the district Collectors take appropriate measures to ensure smooth procurement of Paddy throughout the state. He said that if they face any problems, they should contact the higher officials and solve the issues immediately.

On Sunday, farmers protested at Vemulapalli in Nalgonda district alleging that rice millers had colluded and were forcing them to sell paddy at a much lesser price than the Minimum Support Price (MSP).

The BJP and BRS have been criticising the government that procurement was not going on at the required pace and proper arrangements were not made at any centre. They alleged that farmers were denied the right price with the officials questioning the quality of the paddy and the rice millers too were tardy in picking up the paddy to mill it.

Union Ministers G Kishan Reddy and Bandi Sanjay and the BRS MLAs K.T. Rama Rao and T Harish Rao had visited several centres and alleged that the procurement has not started at many places despite the government’s claims.