Cyclone Michaung: YS Jagan asks officials to buy paddy even if it’s damaged

AMARAVATI: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday assured farmers that the civil supplies department would procure every grain of paddy damaged due to cyclonic storm Michaung.

The Chief Minister participated in a review meeting with the officials to take stock of the damaged crops and paddy due to cyclone and measures being taken by them in supporting the farmers in cyclone affected areas. YS Jagan appealed to the farmers not to worry about the paddy which was drenched in untimely rains.

“The MLAs should assure the farmers that the State Government will support them in all ways. The Civil Supplies Corporation will buy discoloured and stained grain. Officials should be liberal in purchasing grain by relaxing the norms to benefit the farmers,” the Chief Minister said.

YS Jagan said that the civil supplies department officials would take the responsibility of purchasing grain from farmers and transport it to the mills, and these purchases would be done by Rythu Bharosa Kendrams (RBKs). Apart from that, the State Government was already taking all kinds of measures to provide input subsidies to the farmers on time, he added.

The Chief Minister asked the officials to effectively undertake the process to be followed to provide compensation under YSR free insurance to those affected by crop loss and to take measures to support every affected person. He inquired the officials about the crop enumeration process across the State, the officials told him that the enumeration began on December 11 and would continue till December 18. Lists would be made available in RBKs for social audit from December 19 to 22, the officials added.

The officials also informed the Chief Minister that from December 23 to 25, amendments and objections would be taken into consideration from December 23 to 25, the district collectors would send the final lists to the State Government on December 26. He advised the officials to disburse input subsidies to the farmers before Sankranti and appropriate measures should be taken in this regard.

Minister for Housing Jogi Ramesh, MLAs Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao (Nani), Perni Venkataramaiah (Nani), Samineni Udayabhanu, Simhadri Ramesh, Special Commissioner of Agriculture C Hari Kiran, Civil Supplies Department managing director G Veerapandian and Civil Supplies Commissioner Arun Kumar were also present.