BRS Leader Harish Rao Slams Government Over Paddy Procurement Crisis

Telangana's paddy procurement system is in shambles, according to senior BRS politician T. Harish Rao, who visited a procurement facility in Ensanpalli village in Siddipet district on Monday to assess the situation firsthand.

The Siddipet MLA claimed that procurement operations have effectively stopped functioning due to systemic government failures. Speaking with journalists, Harish Rao said hundreds of thousands of farmers are enduring significant hardship as a result of procurement bottlenecks and administrative mismanagement.

The opposition leader broadened his criticism to encompass multiple areas where he contends the Congress administration has fallen short: urea distribution networks, power supply reliability, Rythu Bandhu scheme payments, and procurement management across the board.

Production targets versus procurement plans

Harish Rao highlighted a significant gap between anticipated output and procurement commitments. The state is projected to harvest nearly 14 million tonnes of paddy this season, he noted. Yet the government now intends to purchase only 7 million tonnes, a substantial reduction from the 9 million tonnes it had previously committed to acquiring, he alleged.

Farmer losses and malpractices

The paddy procurement process itself has become a source of farmer losses, according to Harish Rao's observations. Rice millers are reportedly imposing a requirement that farmers supply paddy in bags weighing at least 43 kilograms, a practice he said results in farmers losing roughly 150 kilograms of paddy per acre.

Government officials have been unresponsive to grievances filed by farmers at procurement centres, Harish Rao complained. Procurement pace has slowed considerably across multiple districts, with farmers in Siddipet organizing demonstrations and blocking roads to protest delays in the collection of paddy that remains exposed to weather damage.

Broader governance critique

Harish Rao directed sharp criticism toward Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, claiming the government operates in "Commission Mode" rather than "Mission Mode"—suggesting corruption and self-interest override genuine public service objectives. He also faulted the Congress government for not delivering on pledges regarding Rythu Bandhu payments and agricultural loan forgiveness schemes.

The BRS leader has called for immediate action, demanding the rapid deployment of transport trucks and gunny bags to procurement centres. He has urged the government to accelerate its procurement operations to prevent mounting losses to the farming community.