Hyderabad: Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy said the Telangana government was responsible for problems related to Paddy procurement and rejected allegations that the Centre was not cooperating with farmers.
Addressing a press conference in Hyderabad on Saturday, he said the Union government does not directly procure paddy. He also questioned attempts to blame the Centre for procurement-related issues. According to him, the state government failed to plan operations properly before the harvest season.
Kishan Reddy alleged that farmers faced difficulties because authorities did not make adequate arrangements in advance. He claimed officials ignored early warnings about procurement requirements. As a result, several farmers reportedly encountered delays and inconvenience.
The Union Minister said the state government responded only after the BJP launched a campaign on the issue. He argued that authorities should have acted much earlier. Moreover, he accused the administration of paying less attention to farmers’ concerns.
He claimed neighbouring states managed procurement operations more effectively. For example, he cited Andhra Pradesh and said officials there coordinated closely to ensure smooth procurement.
Paddy procurement management comes under state government
Kishan Reddy also questioned the handling of gunny bag supplies. He said officials should have arranged the required stocks months before procurement began. Furthermore, he alleged that Telangana had not fully utilised the procurement quota allocated by the Centre.
The BJP leader maintained that procurement management falls under the state government’s responsibilities. Therefore, he said the Congress government could not shift blame to the Union government.
He also raised allegations regarding ration rice distribution. According to him, authorities were sending fine-quality rice produced in Telangana to other states. Meanwhile, officials were distributing lower-quality rice within Telangana.
Kishan Reddy demanded a detailed inquiry into the matter. He said the public deserved clarity on the allegations. In addition, he urged the government to disclose the facts before the people.
The Union Minister further accused the Congress government of routinely blaming the Centre for administrative shortcomings. According to him, the state was trying to avoid accountability for issues under its control.
Responding to a question on farmer power supply concerns, Kishan Reddy said the matter had not yet come to his notice. However, the BJP leader questioned why the government had not provided subsidies for the current rabi season. He said farmers deserved clear answers from the administration.
