Telangana CM K Chandrashekar Rao’s SOS to PM Narendra Modi on rice procurement policy

Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao has written a letter to PM Narendra Modi seeking his urgent intervention for clear rice procurement policy.

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Hyderabad: Grappling with good production of rice in last Kharif and Rabi season while sizeable percentage of it unable to find its way to Food Corporation of India (FCI) godowns apart from facing political backlash and a possible farmers' ire, Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi seeking his urgent intervention for clear rice procurement policy.

“The FCI is following certain policies which are creating confusion in the minds of farmers and as well as the state governments. The target of procurement is not fixed for the entire year in one go. Even though the production is increasing year by year, the procurement is not keeping pace,'' wrote KCR.

Stating that due to unclear policies of FCI, the Chief Minister said it is becoming difficult for the states to plan an appropriate cropping pattern and then explain the same to farmers. “For instance the rice production in Telangana during 2021 Kharif was 55.75 LMT (lakh metric tonnes) while the procurement was only 32.66 LMT which is just 59 % of the production. This was less than the 78 % procured in Kharif during 2019-20. Such wide variations in procurement levels does not allow the state to implement a rational cropping pattern.''

While partly putting the blame on Piyush Goyal, Union minister for consumer affairs, food and public distribution system while copying the letter to him too, KCR has now requested the Government of India to direct the FCI on three major issues: “1) Complete the procurement of balance 5.00 LMTs rice produced in Rabi 2020-21. 2) Enhance the target beyond 40.00 LMTs for procurement of rice during the ongoing Kharif 2021-22 to 90 % of the production as done in Punjab and 3) To confirm target of procurement of rice from the state of Telangana during Rabi season.''

While stating that he will wait for Prime Minister's reply to his letter for next couple of days, KCR had already declared that tomorrow (November 18), all his party's MPs and MLAs, MLCs apart from other elected representatives will stage a dharna in Hyderabad and submit a memorandum to the governor on this issue.