CHENNAI: Pattali Makkal Katchi (PMK) leader Anbumani Ramadoss on Thursday criticised the Tamil Nadu government for failing to make adequate arrangements for paddy procurement in northern districts despite a bumper harvest this year.
In a press statement, Anbumani said that while direct procurement centres were opened in early September, paddy procurement in Kancheepuram, Tiruvallur, Tiruvannamalai, Vellore, Tirupattur and Villupuram districts has been suspended for the past 33 days, citing reasons such as the onset of the northeast monsoon.
“As a result, farmers with procurement tokens have been waiting day and night outside the centres,” he said, referring to media reports.
Anbumani further pointed out that Chief Minister M K Stalin, during a government event in Tenkasi on Wednesday, claimed that paddy procurement was proceeding smoothly and that he was reviewing it daily. “If the CM is reviewing the process every day, how is he unaware that procurement has been stalled for over a month in the northern districts? Or does he think these regions are outside Tamil Nadu,” he asked.