The Hindu Business Line : Govt fixes targets for procurement of foodgrains

The Chief Minister, Dr Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy, who held a review meeting on prices of various essential commodities on Thursday, said 60 lakh tonnes of rice should be procured during 2006-07, out of which 40 lakh tonnes is raw rice and 20 lakh tonnes boiled rice.

The Civil Supplies Corporation and FCI will also procure 30 lakh tonnes of paddy, 20 lakh tonnes during khariff and 10 lakh tonnes during rabi season at Rs 650 per quintal for Grade-A and Rs 620 per quintal for common variety. The bonus of Rs 40 per quintal given to the farmers will be exempted from VAT, RD Cess and Market Fee.

The Chief Minister also directed the departments to procure eight lakh tonnes of maize for 2006-07 and the entire procurement will be taken up through Self Help Groups. The Government will also procure Jowar, Bajra, Ragi at the rate of Rs 540 per quintal.

To boost the production of pulses in the State, the Chief Minister directed for procurement of red gram, green gram and black gram at Rs 1,750 per quintal by giving special incentive of Rs 340 per quintal on red gram and Rs 230 per quintal on green gram and black gram. He directed the officials to release 7,177 quintals of red gram procured by the Markfed at Rs 26 per kg of grade II variety by giving a subsidy of Rs 5 per kg and Tandur variety grade-I at Rs 30 per kg by giving a subsidy of Rs 3 per kg to contain the prices of red gram dal. The distribution of red gram will begin through all the rythu bazaars/civil supplies counters/fair price shops within three to four days.

It was also decided to make available wheat in the festive season at an affordable rate, 4,000 tonnes of good quality wheat has been additionally allotted to the urban areas for September, which will be available to all the cardholders - white and pink cardholders at 35 kg per card at Rs 7 per kg.

To make wheat available to roller flour mills, cooperatives/super bazaars and bakery units, the Civil Supplies Department has made arrangements with M/s ITC Ltd to supply Dara wheat from Uttar Pradesh with ex-delivery at Sanatnagar Goods Yard at Rs 11,432 per MT. The Civil Supplies Department is inviting all such units, who are willing to lift such stocks so as to get the dispatches of wheat from U.P. to Sanatnagar Goods Yard.

More Stories on : Foodgrains | Agricultural Policy | Andhra Pradesh

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