HYDERABAD: Alleging that the Union government was discriminating against South Indian States when it comes to procuring paddy, Telangana Agriculture Minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy said that the Centre had a constitutional obligation to procure the foodgrains and see to it that there’s no shortage of the same in the country.
Speaking to the media here on Friday, Niranjan Reddy claimed that the Centre was delaying the payments, forcing the State to purchase the paddy and give it to the Food Corporation of India (FCI). “The State government is getting the money from the FCI six months after the procurement. We are losing the interest on the amount,” he said.
The Minister wondered whether the Central government was biased and was procuring rice from Punjab and not Telangana. “Will the Centre procure produce only from North India? Is only Punjab a part of India? Isn’t Telangana a part of the country too,” Niranjan Reddy asked.
He alleged that the inefficient planning by the Central government has caused a serious setback to Telangana. “The Centre had not said anything about the Yasangi crop till date,” the Agriculture Minister said.Niranjan Reddy alleged that BJP leaders were spreading lies that the State government would not give Rythu Bandhu benefits to farmers who raised paddy. “No such decision has been taken. All the farmers will get Rythu Bandhu,” he said, adding that he has requested the officials to take criminal action against those spreading the rumours.
Harish demands action against ‘liars’
Hyderabad: Finance Minister T Harish Rao posted a tweet on Friday night demanding criminal action against those who were “spreading false propaganda against Rythu Bandhu”. “No one can doubt the sincerity of Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao and the Telangana government in implementing the Rythu Bandhu,” Harish Rao said
DGP asked to book persons spreading rumours
Hyderabad: The Agriculture Department has asked DGP Mahender Reddy to take legal action against persons spreading rumours about Rythu Bandhu to intentionally defame the State government. In a statement to the media, Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy stated that as long as Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao led the State, the crop financial input scheme of Telangana wouldn’t be discontinued. Reminding how part of the salaries of MLAs, MLCs and employees were deposited into the accounts of farmers during the pandemic to ensure the implementation of the scheme, he said the move showed the commitment of the government towards the welfare of the farmers. He said that some conspirators with bad intentions were trying to spread falsehood