Govt procuring even rain-soaked grain; Bhatti vows bonus for non-fine rice, too

Hyderabad: While reassuring that the even the soaked paddy was being procured by the government,deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka assured that cash was being deposited in the accounts of paddy farmers within three days of procurement. Accusing the BRS leaders of creating panic amongst the farmers that the government won’t be giving Rs 500 bonus per quintal to non-fine variety (doddubiyyam), he affirmed that the government has begun offering bonus for fine variety, and will be extending to non-fine variety as well.

Speaking to media persons at Gandhi Bhavan, the deputy CM has said the opposition is creating panic among farmers as it is unhappy that the Congress government was crediting cash into farmers’ accounts within three days of paddy procurement. He advised the opposition not to use politics to create problems for farmers in their desperation. He deplored that the BJP and BRS leaders are again back to false propaganda about paddy procurement in the state and that harvested paddy was getting soaked.

Recalling the plight of farmers and mounds of soaked and germinating paddy on the road sides during his padayatra last year as the previous govt failed to purchase paddy, the deputy CM said that thousands of farmers had poured out their woes to him then. Bhatti affirmed that even germinated paddy would be purchased by the State govt at the Minimum Support Price. “There is no need for farmers to get agitated over this. This is Praja Govt and it is our responsibility to see people are not suffering,” he said.

Referring to the bonus issue, he said the State govt is already started paying a bonus of Rs 500 per quintal for fine variety of paddy. “In fact, it was former CM KCR who had said that cultivating paddy was suicidal and warned farmers not to cultivate paddy,” he added.

Paying tributes to late PM Rajiv Gandhi on his 33rd death anniversary, Bhatti said Rajiv Gandhi who tried to make India compete with other countries in the international arena, and that he had unfortunately lost his life at the hands of evil forces. “It was Rajiv Gandhi who with great foresight had encouraged the technology sector in the country and motivated youth to participate in politics on a large scale,” he pointed out.