CHENNAI: Food Minister R Kamaraj on Thursday said that more Direct Procurement Centres (DPCs) have been opened in delta districts than ever before, and that more quantities of paddy have been procured for the welfare of farmers. His statement came as a fitting reply to the Opposition parties.
In a statement, Kamaraj said that a total of 2,135 DPCs were established in the delta districts in 2019-20 season while the usual number was 1,500; they have also procured a total of 32.41 lakh tonnes of paddy from October 2019 to September 2020, by which, a total of Rs 6,130 crore was remitted directly to farmers’ bank accounts, benefitting 5,85,241 of them.
“It was the highest procurement, of which a total of 12.77 lakh tonnes were procured during the pandemic period, and Rs 2,416.05 crore disbursed to farmers.” The minister added that 500 DPCs were opened on the first day of the Kuruvai season, and following requests from farmers, a total of 819 DPCs are functioning currently.
“A total of 1.55 lakh tonnes of paddy have been procured since October 1 this year.” Replying to the allegations levelled by DMK chief MK Stalin that the DPC authorities were refusing to procure more than 1,000 bags of paddy a day, Kamaraj said that the district collectors have been permitted to open more DPCs if required, and that all the paddy bags brought by farmers are procured without any ceiling. He also clarified that the farmers were selling their produce at DPCs and not to private traders, due to higher procurement prices of the State government.