‘TRS govt. delayed procurement’
The Hindu
Uttam Kumar raises question in the Lok Sabha on paddy issue
Union Minister for Food and Public Distribution Piyush Goyal has blamed the TRS government totally for the delay in paddy procurement and said despite several extensions the Centre was yet to procure paddy produced in the kharif of last year and pass it on to the Food Corporation of India (FCI).
In reply to a question from Nalgonda MP and former TPCC president, N. Uttam Kumar Reddy in the Lok Sabha on Wednesday, the Minister said the Central government did not procure paddy but only rice, and it was the state government’s responsibility of procuring paddy and then give rice to the FCI.
Mr. Uttam Reddy, who raised the question, blamed both BJP and the Telangana Rashtra SAmithi (TRS )governments saying their total confusion, incompetence and lack of foresight had dealt a deadly a blow to paddy farmers of Telangana.
More than 2.6 lakh village and ward volunteers in Andhra Pradesh, once celebrated as the government’s grassroots champions for their crucial role in implementing welfare schemes, are now in a dilemma after learning that their tenure has not been renewed after August 2023 even though they have been paid honoraria till June 2024. Disowned by both YSRCP, which was in power when they were appointed, and the current ruling TDP, which made a poll promise to double their pay, these former volunteers are ruing the day they signed up for the role which they don’t know if even still exists