Take steps to reduce prices of essential commodities: Chief Minister

Vijayawada : Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu directed the officials to make efforts to improve the paddy procurement system to prevent inconvenience to farmers. He said the civil supplies, agriculture and marketing departments should act in a coordinated manner to supply essential commodities to people at cheaper price.

Addressing a review on agriculture and civil supplies departments at the Secretariat on Friday, the Chief Minister said that the previous YSRCP government destroyed the paddy procurement system and delayed the payment of cash to farmers. As a result, farmers faced severe hardships.

In addition, the YSRCP government also harassed farmers in purchasing wet paddy.

The Chief Minister said the debts of civil supplies department stood at Rs 21,622 crore during 2019 TDP rule and they rose to Rs 41,550 crore during YSRCP rule. He directed the officials to initiate steps to bring down the prices of essential commodities.

The officials informed the Chief Minister the civil supplies department set up 2,372 special counters to sell essential commodities at reduced price. They said that they are selling rice and red gram dal at subsidy prices at the counters.

They said system of ration door delivery vans had failed to yield results. The Chief Minister directed the officials to come up with fresh proposals for effective distribution of ration and essential commodities through fair price shops.

Civil supplies minister Nadendla Manohar and senior officials of the department took part.