VISAKHAPATNAM: Paddy procurement will be taken up in the State without the involvement of millers, Minister for Civil Supplies Karumuri Venkata Nageswara Rao said.
Speaking to media persons after a review meeting on paddy procurement and vigilance and monitoring with DSOs, AMs and legal metrology officials from North Coastal Andhra here on Friday, he said Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy is committed to ensuring remunerative prices to farmers for their farm produce.
Weighbridges will be set up in the State and an official will be posted at rice mills for procurement of paddy at support price from farmers, he said. In recent raids conducted by legal metrology officials on petrol pumps and malls in Tirupati, Visakhapatnam and Guntur, 447 cases were registered.
Of the total, 29 cases were registered against petrol pumps, 309 against shopping malls and 89 against fertiliser shops. Jewellery shops will also be inspected. All steps are being taken to protect the interests of consumers, the minister asserted. Civil Supplies Commissioner H Arun Kumar, Civil Supplies Corporation Managing Director G Veerapandian, Joint Collector KS Viswanadhan and other officials attended the meeting.