Andhra Pradesh Government procuring discoloured paddy, says Kannababu

Amaravati: Agriculture minister Kurasala Kannababu said in a relief to rain-hit farmers, the state government was procuring even the discoloured grains. Addressing a press conference at YSRCP central office on Saturday, the minister said paddy procurement was being done at Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) in a most transparent manner without the involvement of any middlemen like brokers and millers.

"Heavy rains have damaged crops in some districts. But irrespective of the damage, the government is procuring the discoloured paddy too. So far 2,36,880 tonnes of paddy has been procured through 7681 RBKs," he said. He requested the Centre to relax the procurement norms, especially during natural calamities keeping farmers' interests in view.

Referring to the criticism of YSRCP government by TDP chief N Chandrababu Naidu over Special Category Status (SCS), Kannababu said Naidu himself diluted the demand for SCS by agreeing to a Special Package putting state's interests at stake. "The same Chandrababu Naidu who is now blaming the state government over SCS, had indeed welcomed the financial package for the state, which was announced by the Centre and even thanked the Union government by passing a resolution in Assembly," he said.

He criticised the previous TDP government for mortgaging SCS for Andhra Pradesh in exchange for a Special Package that solely benefitted Naidu and his benamis. He said that the state lost its privileges because of Naidu and the government is now forced to plead for special status.

Recalling that it was Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy, who made the YSRCP MPs resign and protest for SCS, he said Chandrababu Naidu didn't take such a step. He accused the former chief minister of "pocketing" the announced Special Package and "looting public money". He questioned Naidu why he maintained silence in the past and now blaming the Chief Minister on the SCS.

In this regard, the Minister said that Amaravati is an asset for Chandrababu and his benamis, which is worth over Rs 2 lakh crore and he has been inciting people of that region to protect their ill-gotten properties.

He said that the entire state was mortgaged by Chandrababu only to safeguard his 30,000 acre in Amaravati.

He said that Naidu will not agree even if the government wants to set up a single capital somewhere other than Amaravati.

Speaking on the CID raids on former officials of Skill Development Corporation, Kannababu said that it is the government's responsibility to unearth the truth and take action against those who committed irregularities. He said that shell companies have been set up to divert hundreds of crores of public money during the TDP regime and criticised them for alleging political vendetta for questioning the wrongdoings. The minister advised Chandrababu to watch former justice Chandru's video, who hailed the government's initiatives before trying to defame the government.