Lucknow, Dec 7 (PTI) Marking a four-fold increase inpaddy procurement, the Uttar Pradesh government today informedthat it has procured 14.49 lakh tonnes paddy for Rs 2,250crore, thus benefiting 1,68,112 farmers.
This was conveyed by Chief Secretary Rajive Kumar at ameeting here with Food Corporation of India (FCI) Chairmanand Managing Director Yogendra Tripathi and other top FCIofficials on procurement and storage of paddy in the state.
Tripathi informed the chief secretary that the FCI hadopened 132 centres for procurement of paddy.
FCI Managing Director Divya Prakash Shukla said thegovernment was monitoring purchase of paddy by privateplayers.
The support price for purchase of paddy from farmers isRs 1,550 per quintal and the government will ensure that theyare not forced to sell their produce at a price less than thesupport price.
Principal secretary, food and civil supplies, NiveditaShukla Verma and Commissioner, food, Alok Kumar were presentat the meeting, an official release said. PTI SMIMKJ.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.