The Ministry of Consumer Affairs, Food & Public Distribution has agreed to enhance the paddy procurement target in Nellore district by procuring a total of 34.8 lakh MTs of paddy during the Rabi crop and also further extend the paddy procurement season in Nellore district till October 31, 2020.
Earlier, towards the end of August, the Ministry had extended paddy procurement season in Nellore district by one month till September 30, 2020 following Shri Naidu’s intervention.
The farmers of the district have been requesting the Government to extend the target and enhance the period of procurement.
This decision follows the intervention of the Vice President of India, Shri M Venkaiah Naidu who held discussions with three Secretaries to the Govt. of India i.e. Secretary Food and Public Distribution; Secretary, Agriculture and Secretary, Home in the last two days after the issues related to paddy procurement in Nellore district were brought to his notice.
On the request of the State Government to depute a team to assess the damage for relaxation of uniform specifications for procurement, Secretary Agriculture informed the Vice President that damage due to heavy rains is not considered as a natural calamity and therefore the relief has to be given to the farmers from the relief funds available with the State Government.
With regard to the request of the State Government to accept the boiled rice in FCI depots in East Godavari district, Secretary Food and Public Distribution also informed the Vice President that the Ministry has no objection to the proposal of the State Government if the cost of transportation is borne by the State. Ministry will also take initiatives to arrange the required rakes for transportation in coordination with the Railways.
