HYDERABAD: Union Consumer Affairs and Food & Public Distribution Minister Piyush Goyal and Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Tuesday made it amply clear that the FCI would not procure Rabi boiled rice from Telangana.
However, during a meeting with a delegation of Telangana Ministers, which was led by IT and Industries Minister KT Rama Rao, they said that they would give clarity on the quantum of Kharif rice to be procured from the State on November 26.
They also agreed to the suggestion given by the State that the Centre should announce the annual procurement target in advance, according to a press release issued by the CMO.
As the Centre decided not to procure Rabi boiled rice, the farmers have to switch over to other alternative crops in Rabi. It may be mentioned here that at a recent Maha Dharna, the Chief Minister said that if the Centre says that it would not procure Rabi boiled rice, then the State government would ask farmers not to raise paddy in Rabi season.
Ministers KT Rama Rao, S Niranjan Reddy and Gangula Kamalakar along with TRS MPs and Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar met the Department of Food and Public Distribution officials early on Tuesday. In the evening, the Ministers’ delegation held a detailed meeting with Piyush Goyal.
Later, Goyal took the delegation to the chambers of Tomar and had another round of meeting there. According to sources, Goyal responded positively to some of the issues raised by Rama Rao. However, the Union Ministers reportedly differed on other issues.