Telangana spends Rs 9,726 cr to procure 5 mn tonnes of paddy from farmers in Rabi

The Telangana government has so far procured nearly five million tonnes of paddy valued at Rs 9,726 crore from over nine lakh farmers during the Rabi season.

Last year (2020-21), Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao-led government procured 14.1 million tonne paddy at an estimated cost of Rs 26,610 crore from over 21 lakh farmers, an official release said on Sunday.

The state government has purchased over 55 million tonnes of paddy worth nearly Rs 98,000 crore from farmers during the past seven years.

Telangana, which is fast reaching the top position in the country in paddy cultivation by overtaking Punjab, has become the "granary of India" with the measures being taken for the welfare of the farming community during the last eight years, it said.

The TRS government has distributed 10-12 kg rice per month free of cost to ration card holders during the COVID-19 pandemic by spending over Rs 720 crore.

Similarly, an additional 10 kg per month was given to ration card holders from June 2021 to April 2022 per person costing Rs 421.33 crore, it added.