Farmers are preferring to sell paddy directly to the government instead of the millers after the NDA came to power, says Andhra Pradesh Minister for Civil Supplies Nadendla Manohar.
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Minister for Civil Supplies, Food and Consumer Affairs Nadendla Manohar has said that specially packed fine rice will be supplied to the government schools and social welfare hostels for implementation of the mid-day meal scheme from the next academic year.

Addressing a workshop organised for the District Civil Supplies Officers (DSOs) and the District Managers (DMs) of the A.P. State Civil Supplies Corporation Limited (APSCSCL) here on Wednesday, Mr. Manohar told them to strive to render services to the public, and stressed the need for accountability and a unified approach to solving problems.

He said the farmers preferred to sell paddy directly to the government instead of the millers after the NDA came to power, as it streamlined the process of procurement, which was hitherto replete with irregularities for which a section of the rice millers were to be blamed.

In the last eight months, the government procured 32 lakh tonnes of paddy from 5.21 lakh farmers and released ₹7,522 crore. Of that amount, a sum of ₹7,508 crore was credited into the farmers’ bank accounts within 24 hours, he said.

The Minister said, for the first time, paddy procurement was done through WhatsApp (number 7337359375), and this restored the farmers’ confidence that the government was committed to improving their lot.

Deepam-2

Mr. Manohar said the government accorded top priority to the Deepam-2 scheme. A sum of nearly ₹715 crore had been deposited into the beneficiaries’ accounts towards 93 lakh LPG bookings done.

He instructed the officials to ensure that additional charges were not collected from the LPG consumers, and exhorted the DSOs and DMs to adopt reforms and integrate technology with administration to achieve the best possible results.

Civil Supplies Commissioner Saurabh Gaur, AP-Markfed MD Manazir Jeelani Samoon, and other senior officials were present.