Vijayawada: Making it clear that the dues to farmers on procurement of paddy stood at Rs 1,619 crore, Ex-officio Secretary and Commissioner of Civil Supplies department Kona Sasidhar said the delay in the release of advance claims by the Centre led to the situation.
Explaining the delay in paying farmers, Sasidhar on Friday said the Centre releases funds prior to grain procurement season which has been delayed this year, leading to farmers not receiving the funds. "Even then, the civil supplies department managed Rs 1,637 crore from the state government to pay the farmers," said the commissioner.
Appealing to the farmers not to worry, he assured that dues will be cleared at the earliest as the Centre will release Rs 1,200 crore on June 21 and Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the Finance Department to release Rs 200 crore a day for payment to farmers.
He said that the State should get Rs 3,299 crore as advance from the Centre every year for procurement of paddy. But no money was released till date and the Chief Minister, during his recent visit to Delhi, raised the issue with Union Minister Piyush Goyal.
Sasidhar said dues amounting to Rs 996 crore from the past government will also be paid to farmers and food grains procurement will be taken forward.
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