Telangana CM Writes to PM Modi, Urges Him to Clear Rice Stocks

Upping the ante at the attitude of the Centre on clearing rice stocks from the State, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao Wednesday urged Prime Minister Narendra Modi to direct FCI to procure the same.

In a letter addressed to the Prime Minister, KCR has expressed displeasure at the Centre for adopting double standards and appealed to take steps to clear rice stocks from the State.

The CM sought that the Centre should give clarity on its stance to clear rice stocks during the Rabi season. The CM asked that the Centre procure 40 lakh metric tonnes of rice stocks in the Kharif season in 2020-21 as 90 per cent rice stocks cleared from Punjab.

Claiming that the State contributes to national food security by producing more paddy and other crops, he said that they addressed the previous drought and hunger situation and became a huge food grain surplus State.

Stating that Telangana offers Rs 10,000 per acre to farmers and 24-hour free power to push farm production, the CM said that FCI should reach its mandatory targets every year to clear rice stocks from the States. Even as the farm production keeps rising every year the FCI is lagging as not keeping pace.

The Centre has to procure the remaining 5 lakh mt rice in the Rabi season of 2020-21.

FCI’s attitude creates confusion among the farmers in the states and the Centre should fix such problems immediately, the CM said, adding that he met with Food and Civil Supplies Minister Piyush Goel in September to avoid confusion and fix some appropriate targets to procure rice stocks from the State.

He said though 50 days have been passed and no proper response yet from the Centre on rice stocks.

He also attached the letter to Union Food and Civil Supplies Minister Piyush Goel. The CM said that all the States should be treated equally.

Telangana Finance Minister Harish Rao also slammed the Centre for partiality towards the State on rice stocks. “Why the Modi Government buys Punjab rice and not the same from our State,” he asked.

With Minister T Srinivas Yadav, Harish Rao visited the dharna park site at Indira Park for Maha Dharan on November 18. The minister said that KCR and all ministers, MPs, MLAs and other TRS leaders will attend the same to mount pressure on the Centre on rice procurement.

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