Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Thursday lauded the farmers for making Telangana the number one state in providing food to the country and making it the Rice Bowl of the country. Notably, according to FCI, the state this year has cultivated record level paddy.
He also congratulated farmers for the efficient utilization of free power and availability of water for irrigation achieved bumper crops with their professional skills.
The statement from the Chief Minister came after Food Corporation of India (FCI) Chairman and Managing Director (CMD) DV Prasad on declared that the Telangana had emerged as number one state in the country, which was giving the necessary food to the country.
Prasad congratulated the state government and said that the Telangana had become the Rice Bowl of the country fulfilling the food supply needs of the country.
"During 2020 Rabi season, of the total procurement of Paddy in the country, Telangana State had accounted for 63 per cent while the other states contributed the rest 37 per cent," Prasad declared on Wednesday.
"Facing all the challenges posed by the Corona Virus background; the Public Sector Undertakings have done the procurement on a record level. In the whole country, the FCI this Rabi season, as on date had procured 83.01 Lakh tonnes, of which, 52.23 Lakh tonnes from Telangana State alone, he clarified. The FCI had kept procurement of 91.07 Lakh tonnes as the target this time, more than half of it was provided by the Telangana State. Since Paddy was cultivated in a large extent in Telangana state this Rabi season, it helped a lot for the needs of the country," the FCI announcement released on Wednesday stated.
Rythu Bandhu Samithi chairman Palla Rajeshwar Reddy also commented on the development and said: "it was due to measures taken by the CM that Paddy cultivation extent was increased in the state as well as the high yields."
Reddy further stated that "there is a vision of KCR behind the Telangana making a major percentage of contribution to the Paddy procurement by the FCI."
( With inputs from ANI )