Hyderabad, May 12 (PTI) Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on Tuesday directed officials concerned to take steps for expeditious procurement of paddy and other crops.
His remarks come against the backdrop of opposition protests over the alleged delay in the procurement of food grains from farmers.
Reddy, who held a video conference with district Collectors, said any negligence in the process of purchase from farmers would not be tolerated.
Officials were also asked to undertake field visits to inspect the procurement process.
He said officials should take steps to avoid any shortage of gunny bags and also workers who carry the grain bags to lorries, an official release said.
In response to hardships faced by farmers at procurement centres due to extreme heat and unseasonal rains, the CM directed officials to take measures to see that the ryots do not face any trouble.
He instructed officials to swiftly move paddy post procurement to godowns and act against contractors who fail to arrange adequate number of lorries as per agreement.
Officials should not hesitate to file criminal cases against such contractors, he said.
He told the transport department commissioner to provide lorry to shift procured paddy from the centres.
He directed the district Collectors to take appropriate measures based on the ground situation and cautioned that the government would not hesitate to take action against the Collectors.
Reddy, who put the onus on Collectors for the smooth procurement of paddy and other crops, instructed them to send regular reports to the Chief Secretary.
The Collectors can take the help of the police if necessary to ensure that the procurement process is conducted smoothly.
The opposition BJP and BRS have staged protests in the state in recent weeks over the alleged delay in procurement and the problems faced by farmers, including heat, unseasonal rains and harassment of ryots in the name of dampness. PTI SJR SJR ROH
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