Open more paddy procurement centres, PMK tells Pondy Govt

Puducherry, Jan 7 (UNI) PMK Parliamentary party leader Prof M Ramadass today urged the administration to take steps to open more procurement centres of the Food Corporation of India (FCI) in the Karaikal region to directly procure paddy from farmers.

In a letter to Agriculture Minister V Vaithilingam, he pointed out that 20 years ago, FCI had set up procurement centres in all the six communes in Karaikal to benefit the farmers . However, presently only two centres were functioning, causing hardships to the farmers to bring their paddy from far off places.

Prof Ramadass said he had held talks with the FCI officials, who had agreed to set up procurement centres in all the communes, subject to the administration providing sites. Hence, the Government should identify sites to set up procurement centres in all the six communes and issue a GO in this regard forthwith, he added.

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