Hyderabad, Oct 15 : Telangana has achieved an all-time high paddy production of 148.03 lakh tonnes during the kharif season, State Irrigation and Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy.

This is claimed to be the highest paddy production by any state in the country.

He said the state would also set a record in paddy procurement, with the government planning to spend Rs 23,000 crore for the purpose. He announced that payments would be made to farmers within 48 hours of registration.

He stated that the state achieved a record production due to the policies followed by the state government under the leadership of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka towards agriculture and the farmers.

The minister held a video conference with the Collectors from the Dr B.R. Ambedkar Secretariat on Wednesday on paddy procurement.

State Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, Chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao, Agriculture Secretary Surendra Mohan, Transport Commissioner Raghunandan Rao, Civil Supplies Commissioner Stephen Ravindra and others participated.

Uttam Kumar Reddy directed Collectors to ensure a smooth process of procurement so that farmers do not face any difficulties at the procurement centres.

He said that apart from setting a record in the history of agriculture with a yield of 148.03 lakh tons, the target of purchasing 80 lakh tonnes of paddy will also be a record.

The minister asked officials to be vigilant to make the largest procurement exercise in the country a success.

He said that the state government has decided to spend Rs 22,000 to 23,000 crore to procure 80 lakh tonnes of grain. He revealed that 40 lakh tonnes of fine variety and 40 lakh tonnes of coarse variety will be procured.

A total of 8,342 paddy procurement centres have been set up across the state to purchase the paddy grown in a total area of 66.8 lakh acres. As many as 4,259 have been set up through primary agricultural cooperative societies, 3,517 through IKP centres and another 566 centres through other organisations.

Collectors of the respective district and civil supplies department officials have been directed to coordinate and take steps to create a complete infrastructure at the purchase centres so that farmers do not face any difficulties.

He ordered the officials to arrange complete transport facilities to move the procured paddy on time.

The minister said that payments will be made within 48 hours of recording the details of the purchased paddy.

Farmers will be paid a bonus along with the support price.

/IANS