- Telangana ministers direct officials to safeguard paddy procurement amid threat of Cyclone Montha
- Over 1.8 lakh tonnes of paddy procured; vigilance ordered across districts
Civil Supplies Minister Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, along with Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageshwara Rao, conducted a high-level review meeting in Hyderabad on Monday to assess emergency preparations as Cyclone Montha threatens to bring unseasonal rains to Telangana.
The ministers instructed officials to stay vigilant and prioritize the protection of harvested paddy from potential rain damage.
The review meeting, held at the Dr Marri Chenna Reddy Human Resource Development Institute, was attended by Chief Secretary S. Ramakrishna Rao, Agriculture Secretary Surendra Mohan, Civil Supplies Commissioner Stephen Ravindra, and other senior officials.
District collectors joined the session via video conference to evaluate local preparedness and coordinate preventive actions.
Uttam Kumar Reddy emphasized that farmers must not incur losses at any cost. He directed officials to use tarpaulins to protect paddy at procurement centres and ensure quick transportation of stocks to rice mills.
He also called on departments to maintain adequate logistics and coordinate efforts over the next 30 to 45 days. The minister noted that Telangana has so far procured 1,80,452 metric tonnes of paddy from 22,433 farmers, valued at ₹431.09 crore. This includes 73,628 metric tonnes of coarse grain and 1,06,824 metric tonnes of fine grain.
Out of 8,342 approved procurement centres across the state, 4,428 are currently operational, with the remaining 3,814 to be opened soon.
Uttam Kumar Reddy instructed officials to expedite farmer payments, ensure constant supervision at procurement points, and suspend harvesting temporarily in areas expected to receive heavy rainfall. He warned against corruption or irregularities and said any complaints would lead to strict action.
The minister underlined that the next 10 to 15 days would be critical, especially for paddy, maize, and cotton procurement operations.
He asked officials from the Civil Supplies, FCI, Agriculture, and Marketing departments to maintain 24×7 coordination. Civil Supplies Commissioner Stephen Ravindra will be available round-the-clock to monitor response measures. Uttam Kumar Reddy also reassured district officers that necessary financial approvals will follow for immediate protective action.
Reiterating the Congress government’s commitment to farmers, the minister said, “No lapse that harms farmers’ interests will be tolerated.” He urged officials to act swiftly and responsibly to minimize the impact of Cyclone Montha and secure Telangana’s agricultural produce.
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