23.11 tonnes of paddy procured during ongoing season: Govt

Chennai

The submission made before a division bench comprising Justice M Sathayanarayanan and Justice Anita Sumanth added that Rs 4350.63 crore has been credited to the farmers’ bank accounts after procurement.

It was also pointed out that Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies also utilises 244 operational godowns with a capacity of 8.48 lakh tonnes and 44 buffer godowns with a capacity of 3.80 lakh tonnes. In total, 288 godowns with a capacity of 12.28 lakh tonnes of food grains are being utilised. Of these, 248 godowns with a capacity of 10.90 lakh tonnes are owned by Tamil Nadu Civil Supplies Corporation and 40 godowns with a capacity of 1.38 lakh tonnes are hired.

The counsel appearing for the Centre submitted that the paddy procured was also being stored in utilities operated by the Central Warehousing Corporation of India.

However, the bench posed a query regarding the total production of paddy/food grains in the State in the kharif market season, and posted the plea to June 18 for further hearing.

The submission was in response to the plea seeking direct procurement of paddy from farmers and also prevent paddy rotting in godowns.