12,000 metric tonnes paddy purchased: JC

Nellore: Joint Collector K Karthik has said that till date the administration has purchased 12,000 metric tonnes of paddy from farmers in the district.

Addressing a press conference here on Monday, the JC has detailed that as part of the efforts in providing proper minimum support price (MSP) to farmers, the administration initiated several measures from Monday. He said the administration has deployed technical assistant, data entry operators and helpers at all 300 paddy purchase centres in the district.

The JC has said that about 3.5 lakh gunny bags and 250 lorries with Global Positioning System (GPS) facility were provided at PPCs. He said that a control room with mobile number 8520879979 was established at the Collectorate by deploying one officer, to whom farmers can approach with their problems.

Warning of taking stringent action against middlemen or millers, those try to purchase paddy at less price than MSP from farmers, JC Karthik informed that cases were booked on two rice mills and three middlemen on the charges of cheating farmers by purchasing paddy at low cost.

The JC has disclosed in view of achieving targets in paddy purchase, the administration has linked 10 rice millers to PPCs as they can purchase paddy from farmers by providing MSP. Stating that the administration is confident of procuring 5 lakh metric tonnes of paddy against 11 lakh metric tonnes expected to produce in the current season, he urged farmers to sell their produce to the government.

District Civil Supplies Officer Ankaiah, District Civil Supplies department Manager Arjuna Rao and others were present.