Hyderabad, June 19 (PTI) The Telangana government has so far procured nearly five million tonnes of paddy valued at

Rs 9,726 crore from over nine lakh farmers during the Rabi season.

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Last year (2020-21), Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao-led government procured 14.1 million tonne paddy at an estimated cost of Rs 26,610 crore from over 21 lakh farmers, an official release said on Sunday.

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The state government has purchased over 55 million tones of paddy worth nearly Rs 98,000 crore from farmers during the past seven years.

Telangana, which is fast reaching the top position in the country in paddy cultivation by overtaking Punjab, has become “granary of India” with the measures being taken for the welfare of farming community during the last eight years, it said.

The TRS government has distributed 10-12 kg rice per month free of cost to ration card holders during COVID-19 pandemic by spending over Rs 720 crore.

Similarly, an additional 10 kg per month was given to ration card holders from June 2021 to April, 2022 per person costing Rs 421.33 crore, it added.

(The above story is verified and authored by Press Trust of India (PTI) staff. PTI, India’s premier news agency, employs more than 400 journalists and 500 stringers to cover almost every district and small town in India.. The views appearing in the above post do not reflect the opinions of LatestLY)