By claiming that the Central government would procure 6.5 lakh tonnes of boiled rice from Telangana, the BJP at the Centre stole the thunder in the marathon tussle between the TRS government over the issue of rice purchase with an instantaneous and nonplus development yesterday. Before the Union Minister Amit Shah’s visit on Saturday to Hyderabad, Union minister G.Kishan Reddy made the announcement.
“We have not taken this because we at Centre are petrified of the TRS state government, but to aid Telangana farmers who were abandoned and left to manage for themselves by the TRS government”, said Kishan Reddy. The Telangana Rashtra Samithi, which has been in combat with the BJP on the rice issue, has been demanding for some months now that the Centre buy all the rice produced in the state during the current rabi crop season.
The BJP has been perpetuating a stand that the TRS government had given a written undertaking to the Centre that it would not ask the Union government to purchase boiled rice. Kishan Reddy said that boiled rice will be used to manufacture boosted rice, and added vitamins to be provided to poor people to enhance their nutritional values. The FCI is in plans to take part in warranting rice boosting and distribution.
He further said that the TRS government should concentrate on the welfare of Telangana farmers, instead of criticizing the Centre or going to other states to furnish relief cheques.