KCR reaches Delhi to persuade Centre to announce target for procurement of rice from rabi season

HYDERABAD: A day after Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced a relief of `3 lakh to the kin of each of the 700 farmers who died during their 13-month-long agitation against the farm laws in Delhi, the Samyukt Kisan Morcha (SKM) has tweeted that it will provide the list of deceased farmers to the Telangana government.

“Mr Narendra Modi or his Government does not acknowledge the heavy and avoidable sacrifices made by around 700 brave farmers of Kisan Andolan, the Telangana government has now stepped forward to provide support to the kin of the martyrs,” tweeted the farmers’ body.

​The Chief Minister, who left for Delhi on Sunday afternoon, has a long agenda of issues relating to farmers of not only Telangana but also elsewhere in the country. He is expected to meet the agitating farmers and pledge his support to their other demands, with the Centre already capitulating on the contentious farm laws and repealing them. Rao would also press for the withdrawal of the Electricity (Amendment) Bill and the legislation to back the MSP payable to farmers for various crops.

According to sources, the Chief Minister has sought an appointment with the Prime Minister, and if it materialises, he would discuss the State’s paddy issue with him and prevail on him to direct the FCI to procure 90 per cent of the Kharif produce expected. 

He is also expected to clear the air about whether the Centre would procure raw rice from Rabi season if it was not interested in taking boiled rice. The CM wants the Centre to categorically state that it would not take Rabi rice from Telangana, so that he could advise farmers to go for alternative crops.

Though the main purpose of Rao’s visit is to get a clear commitment on how much Kharif paddy the Centre would buy from the State, he also wants to press for other issues including enactment of a legislation setting the MSP for various crops. 

Meanwhile, ministers, MPs and officials who have accompanied Rao would persuade the Centre to announce the target for procurement of rice from Rabi season, which will start from December. MAUD Minister KT Rama Rao left for Delhi on Sunday morning itself and  interacted with representatives of civic bodies about the awards Telangana won in Swachh Survekshan, 2021. He will join other ministers and call on Union Ministers to explain to them the problem of plenty in Telangana.

Multi-pronged pitches
Ministers, MPs and officials who have accompanied Rao would persuade the Centre to announce the target for procurement of rice from Rabi season, which will start from December. They will also meet Union Ministers over the paddy procurement issue