Telangana government has taken necessary steps for paddy purchase in Kharif Season from farmers at minimum support price with making preparation to see that farmers face no hurdles in selling paddy. The Commissioner for Civil Supplies Akun Sabharwal held video conference with Joint Collectors, DCSOs, DMs on Kharif Season preparations. A wall poster was released on this occasion on creating awareness among farmers on Minimum Support Price. The Commissioner instructed officials to be very careful at paddy purchasing as it is concerned with lakhs of farmers. He said, Paddy Purchase Centers should setup for every 5 kilometers easily reachable to farmers and ordered officials to setup purchase centers as paddy purchase starts from next month, keeping in view of regional requirements. The Estimation is made to procure paddy in October 5 LMTs, November 14 LMTs, December 12 LMTs and in January 3 Lmts, total of 34 Lakh Metric Tons.
Set up basic facilities at PPCs: the Farmers should be made aware of standards of Central government in bringing paddy to purchase centers. Depending upon the climate Joint Collectors should make plans at ground level about the expectation of yield and should make preparations to set up purchase centers. Make plan of action to open PPCs for purchase of at least 500 MTs to 1000 MTs, with at least 5KMs distance from each other. The PPCs should be equipped with like moisture meters, paddy cleaners, winnowing machines, electronic weighing machines and basic facilities like providing drinking water and wash rooms.
Procurement Committees: To constitute a District Procurement Committee (DPC) with the Collector (CS) as chairman and other members of the committee shall include DCSO, DM-CSC, AD-Marketing, officials of RTA and Agriculture Dept, AM-FCI and HODs of procuring agencies (IKP, PACS, ITDA, DCMS etc). the District Procurement Committee under the chairmanship of Collector (CS) shall sort out any problems arising at the PPCs, Rice Mills, Godowns etc. Open a control room for monitoring of paddy purchases, transportation and to address farmer’s complaints
Increase in Support Price:
‘A’ Grade per quintal Rs. 1770
Common Type per quintal Rs. 1750
This year Minimum support price has been increase from Rs. 1550 to Rs. 1750 for common type and Rs. 1590 to Rs. 1440 for ‘A’ grade. Farmers must compulsorily be paid minimum support and involvement of middlemen should be removed. The Job Chart will be issued to purchase centre organizers, according to this every purchase centre should have five members. Every day details of purchase, rejections should be entered online. The Training must be given to IKP, PACS, Civil Supplies, FCI technical staff on procurement before the establishment of purchasing centers. Meetings should be conducted at district level to declare Kharif Action Plan under Joint Collectors guidance.
The Toll free numbers 180042500333 and 1967 are established at the Commissionerate of Civil Supplies, Civil Supplies Bhavan, for making any complaints on MSP and on distribution of PDS rice for immediate redressal. District level Toll Free numbers also should be set up.
The Joint Collectors, Officials should focus mainly on storage space, gunny bags, transportation of paddy and CMR allotment.
Guidelines for hiring godowns: the Government Godowns should be hired on priority for storage of Custom Milling Rice (CMR) from millers. After that CWC, SWC, AMC should be hired. private godowns should be hired only in case of non availability of government godowns. The Officials must be cautious about Gunny Bags. Keeping view of paddy production gunny bags should be allotted to districts according to the priority basis. 8.59 gunny bags are required for purchasing 34 Lakh Metric Tons of paddy. Gunny bags are made available at purchase centers much earlier.
