T'gana cabinet expresses concern over Centre's 'adverse' policy on maize imports

The central government had in June notified norms for import of 5 lakh tonne of maize this year at a concessional customs duty of 15 per cent, a move aimed at increasing availability of the commodity in the domestic market. "The cabinet has expressed its shock and dismay over the way the Centre had allowed the import of maize, reduced the import duty despite the fact that the country had enough reserve stocks of the maize in the country," an official release on the cabinet meeting said on Saturday night.

The Telangana Cabinet on Saturday expressed concern over the Centre's alleged decision to import maize, despite having "adequate" reserve stocks in the country, leading to a fall in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for farmers. The central government had in June notified norms for import of 5 lakh tonne of maize this year at a concessional customs duty of 15 per cent, a move aimed at increasing availability of the commodity in the domestic market.

"The cabinet has expressed its shock and dismay over the way the Centre had allowed the import of maize, reduced the import duty despite the fact that the country had enough reserve stocks of the maize in the country," an official release on the cabinet meeting said on Saturday night. It also expressed its shock over the situation in which the Telangana farmers, who cultivate maize as a traditional crop, are not getting the MSP and face adversities, it said.

The cabinet urged the corn growers to be careful following the Centre's "adverse" policies and to make a decision on the cultivation of maize (accordingly), the release said. Among other decisions, the cabinet decided to purchase paddy in the villages so that the farmers do not face any problems in view of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, it said.

The cabinet meeting decided to set up 6,000 paddy-purchasing centres, it said. The meeting approved the Amendments to the GHMC (Greater Hyderabad Municipal Corporation) Act of 1955 by providing 50 per cent reservation to women in GHMC Council, functioning of the ward committees and reservation of Wards, it said.

The state government has already announced that the legislature would meet next week (to make amendments to the GHMC Act and take up other business).