Activists of the ruling Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) have organised dharna across the State on Friday, demanding the centre to purchase the paddy produced in the rabi season.
Working President and IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao, and Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy, have participated in the dharna in district and mandal headquarters.
Addressing a dharna at Sircilla, KT Rama Rao said the Centre had been selling everything but refusing the paddy produced in the State.
Niranjan Reddy, who participated in a dharna at Wanaparthy, demanded that the Centre should agree to procure the paddy produced in the rabi season.
‘Not encouraging farmers’
Stating that the paddy yields in the State are among the highest in the country with 25 quintals an acre (as against 15 quintals in Punjab), he alleged that the Centre was not encouraging the paddy farmers. He demanded that the Centre should spell out its stand on the procurement of paddy in the rabi season.
The ruling TRS has decided to organise dharna to corner the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which demanded the State government to buy the paddy in rabi. The State has asked the farmers to move away from paddy in the upcoming rabi season.
Chief Minister and TRS President alleged that the State was forced to ask the farmers to move away from paddy as the Centre insisted that it was not going to buy the parboiled rice produced in the second season.