Telangana Panchayat Raj Minister Errabelli Dayakar Rao today said that the rice millers of the state who were found to not be procuring paddy from farmers needed to be put behind bars.
The minister made these remarks after he interacted with some farmers in Warangal district who expressed displeasure at the millers for not procuring their produce in a timely and efficient fashion.
"The paddy stored at the procurement centre storages is getting wet and destroyed which is causing a whole host of problems for the farmers. To prevent such delays in procurement, it is expedient to take strict action against those responsible for the problem. After the current farming season, we will file cases against all the rice millers and officials who are refusing to carry out the procurement and to make payments to the farmers," he fumed.
"I am very unhappy seeing the pathetic situation of the farmers who have spent so much time and have toiled to grow crops. There is a need for urgent action against the erring rice millers and officials. While our government is providing all the necessary help to the agrarian community of Telangana through several schemes, the actions of some are negating all such efforts. Problems like this are continuing unabated," Rao said.
After heavy rain lashed several parts of the state some days ago, many leaders have spoken up in support of the farmers who have faced losses due to the inclement weather and "inefficient procurement practices" - politician Y S Sharmila had spoken about the problems the
flood-hit farmers of Vikarabad district were having to contend with. She had demanded that the government support the affected group.
Former Congress leader and erstwhile Chevella MP Konda Vishweshwar Reddy had also called on Telangana's Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy and
submitted a representation to him, urging the latter to "solve" the problems being faced by the farmers of the Rangareddy and Vikarabad districts.