Telangana Minister for Civil Supplies Uttam Kumar Reddy on Sunday, 24 May directed state officials to complete paddy procurement operations by the end of May, with the government targeting a total of 75 lakh tonnes against a cultivated crop of 141 lakh tonnes across the state. The directive came during a high-level video conference that reviewed the progress of procurement centres statewide.

Current Procurement Status

As of the review meeting, 51 lakh tonnes of paddy have already been procured across Telangana, with ₹8,749 crore released to farmers as Minimum Support Price (MSP) payments. A total of 8,575 paddy procurement centres have been established across the state, and 21 crore gunny bags have been made available at the field level to support operations.

Notably, 8.5 lakh tonnes of paddy is currently awaiting collection at procurement centres. Reddy directed that this backlog be cleared on a 'war footing', with officials instructed to mobilise resources immediately to prevent further delays.

Key Directives Issued

The minister instructed officials to ensure that details of procured grain are entered promptly into digital tablets to expedite cash disbursements to farmers. Checkpoints are to be established in border districts to prevent the influx of paddy, sorghum, and maize from neighbouring states — a measure aimed at protecting the integrity of Telangana's procurement system.

Strict action was also warned against rice millers and middlemen who attempt to defraud farmers. Officials were additionally asked to counter misinformation about the procurement drive and to actively publicise that procurement has reached record-breaking levels this season.

What Senior Leaders Said

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who participated in the video conference alongside ministers Tummala Nageswara Rao, Jupally Krishna Rao, Adluri Lakshaman, and Ponnam Prabhakar, stressed that the number of hamalis (loaders and labourers) at procurement centres must be scaled up to adequate levels.

Vikramarka also highlighted a significant shift in payment timelines: in previous years, farmers reportedly waited months to receive payment after paddy was procured, whereas the current administration is processing disbursements immediately. Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao, Civil Supplies Commissioner Stephen Raveendra, district Collectors, Members of Parliament, and MLAs also attended the meeting.

Farmer Welfare and Pollution Awareness

The meeting reaffirmed that farmer welfare remains the government's primary objective and that all necessary steps are being taken to ensure no farmer suffers a financial loss. Separately, Vikramarka directed that awareness campaigns on air pollution prevention be conducted among farmers who burn agricultural waste — a practice that contributes to seasonal air quality deterioration across the region.

With the procurement deadline now firmly set for May-end, the pace of operations at all 8,575 centres across Telangana will be closely watched in the coming days.