Uttam says the purchase of paddy fields is a huge success, but the Center is not cooperating

Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy visited one of the malls in Suryapet district on Monday.

Criticizing the Centre’s procurement policy, Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy said Telangana was ready to procure up to 75 LMT of paddy, but the Union government agreed to buy only about 51 LMT, forcing the state to bear a heavy financial burden.

Mr. Reddy, who visited the shopping malls at Thirumalagiri and Phanigiri in Suryapet district on Monday, reviewed the pace of purchases, stock lifting, traffic arrangements and payments to farmers.

He said Telangana has so far procured nearly 64 lakh metric tonnes (LMT) of rice through 8,575 procurement centres, which is the highest ever network created for procurement of rice in the state. “Large-scale procurement is paying off. A large quantity of paddy has already been moved to the mills, reducing the pressure on the shopping centres. We are determined to buy every grain produced by the farmers,” he said.

The minister said the government was committed to ensuring fair treatment to farmers. “Even rain-soaked rice is being bought at the minimum support price. Farmers need not worry. The government will stand by them till the last grain is bought,” he said.

He said the government has already transferred ₹11,500 crore directly into the accounts of 9.31 million farmers. Unlike in the past when payments took weeks or months, farmers now received money within 48 to 72 hours, he said while praising the teams of Collectors, MLAs and civil contractors for smooth procurement operations.

To overcome the transport shortfalls, the minister said the government has directed officials to deploy all available trucks and heavy vehicles to move to paddy fields until the procurement is completed.

Published – 1 Jun 2026 20:32 IST