Thanjavur: The paddy procurement target for the current samba season has been fixed at 25 lakh tonnes, food minister R Kamaraj said at the tripartite meeting held on Tuesday. The previous year it was 19.1 lakh tonnes, the minister added.
“Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) had set up 1,766 direct procurement centres (DPCs) last year, through which 19.1 lakh tonne paddy was procured from 5.06 lakh farmers. Through 513 DPCs established in the state including 63 in non-delta districts this season, we have procured 87,000 tonnes of paddy so far. Based on the requirements, the number of DPCs will be increased,” Minister further said.
Farmers who participated at the tripartite meeting appealed to the government to increase the maximum moisture content fixed by the union government to 21% (from the existing 17%) owing to the recent rain spells. The minister assured them that the issue would be taken to the notice of the Central government.
While replying to accusations levelled by farmers about widespread irregularities at DPCs in delta districts, Kamaraj warned staff and officials of concerned procurement centres that stringent action would be taken if anyone was found guilty.
“Farmers need not wait for days any more at the DPCs for their turn as we have instructed the regional managers of TNCSCs to increase the maximum number of paddy bags to be procured from each DPCs to 1,000 from 800”, he said.
Agriculture minister R Doraikannu, handloom and textile minister O S Manian, TNCSC MD M Sudhadevi, secretary for cooperation, food and consumer protection department Dayanand Kataria and district collectors M Govinda Rao (Thanjavur), T Anand (Tiruvarur) and Praveen P Nair (Nagapattinam) participated in the meeting.
“Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation (TNCSC) had set up 1,766 direct procurement centres (DPCs) last year, through which 19.1 lakh tonne paddy was procured from 5.06 lakh farmers. Through 513 DPCs established in the state including 63 in non-delta districts this season, we have procured 87,000 tonnes of paddy so far. Based on the requirements, the number of DPCs will be increased,” Minister further said.
Farmers who participated at the tripartite meeting appealed to the government to increase the maximum moisture content fixed by the union government to 21% (from the existing 17%) owing to the recent rain spells. The minister assured them that the issue would be taken to the notice of the Central government.
While replying to accusations levelled by farmers about widespread irregularities at DPCs in delta districts, Kamaraj warned staff and officials of concerned procurement centres that stringent action would be taken if anyone was found guilty.
“Farmers need not wait for days any more at the DPCs for their turn as we have instructed the regional managers of TNCSCs to increase the maximum number of paddy bags to be procured from each DPCs to 1,000 from 800”, he said.
Agriculture minister R Doraikannu, handloom and textile minister O S Manian, TNCSC MD M Sudhadevi, secretary for cooperation, food and consumer protection department Dayanand Kataria and district collectors M Govinda Rao (Thanjavur), T Anand (Tiruvarur) and Praveen P Nair (Nagapattinam) participated in the meeting.
