Explained: Why is Telangana CM KCR leading paddy protest in Delhi and what are his demands?

Telangana Chief Minister KC Chandrashekar Rao has taken his protest against Narendra Modi government over paddy-procurement policy to Delhi and warned on Monday not to mess with the farmers.

"We have come 2,000 km away from Telangana amid this heat. I warn PM Modi that you can't mess with farmers. Indian history is a testament that wherever farmers cried, the government loses power. Nobody is permanent...When in power, don't treat farmers unfairly," he said. If the central government failed to respond, Rao threatened to take the protest across the country. This is the Telangana Rashtra Samithi's first protest rally in Delhi after coming to power in the state in 2014. TRS working President and chief minister's son K T Ram Rao and party MPs, MLCs, MLAs, and entire cabinet ministers sat on the dharna.

Bharatiya Kisan Union (BKU) leader Rakesh Tikait also expressed solidarity with the Telangana chief minister at the dharna.

So, Why Exactly KCR is protesting against Centre and What are his Demands?

Telangana has record production of paddy in the last few seasons, forcing the state government to urge farmers not to cultivate paddy in the rabi (Yasangi) season. His appeal came after the Centre made it clear to the state government that it would not buy parboiled rice from Telangana.

The Centre told the state government that it would buy only 40 lakh tonnes of Kharif rice from the state and decided not to buy Rabi rice and it would buy raw rice from the farmers as per agreement with FCI.

KCR's Demands
The Chief Minister has been urging the Centre to direct the Food Corporation of India (FCI) to enhance the rice procurement target from 40 lakh tonnes to 90 per cent of entire production for the Kharif (Vaanakalam) 2021-22, as was done in Punjab. He had sought confirmation on the targets from Telangana State during ensuing Yasangi season. He wanted the FCI to complete the procurement of the balance 5 lakh tonnes rice produced in Yasangi 2020-21.

In a letter written to PM Modi last year, Rao alleged that the Food Corporation of India (FCI) was following certain policies which created confusion in the minds of farmers, as well as state governments, like the procurement target not being fixed for the entire year in one go and procurement not keeping pace, though production was increasing year by year.
Due to these policies,it was becoming difficult for states to plan an appropriate cropping pattern and explain the same to farmers, he said.

For instance, though rice production in Telangana during Kharif 2020-21 was 55.75 lakh metric tons (LMT), the procurement was only 32.66 LMT, which is 59 per cent of the production. This was less than the 78 per cent procured in Kharif 2019-20. Such wide variations in procurement levels does not allow the state to implement a rational cropping pattern, Rao said.
In this context, he requested the Centre to direct FCI to complete procurement of the balance 5.00 LMTs rice produced in Rabi 2020-21 and to enhance the target beyond 40 LMTs for rice procurement during the ongoing Kharif 2021-22 to 90 per cent of production as done in Punjab, he said.

Centre's Procurement Policy:
The Central Government extends price support to wheat and paddy through FCI and State Agencies. Procurement at MSP is open ended i.e., whatever foodgrains are offered by the farmers ,within the stipulated procurement period and which conforms to the quality specifications prescribed by Government of India, are purchased at MSP (and bonus/incentive ,if any) by the Government agencies including FCI for central Pool. Some States also declare State bonus on wheat and paddy over and above MSP. Government agencies undertake MSP operation at mandis/ temporary purchase centres/aggregation points. Location and number of purchase centres to be opened are decided in consultation with /by the State governments.

The System of Procurement for Rice
CMR is manufactured by milling paddy procured by State govt. /State agencies and FCI. In the states like A.P, Telangana, Punjab, Haryana, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, MP, Tamilnadu, Maharasthra, UP & Bihar, paddy is mainly procured by State government/State agencies and the resultant rice is delivered to State Government and FCI by getting the paddy milled from rice millers. Major responsibility of procurement of wheat and paddy is borne by the State agencies whereas FCI procures almost 70% of total rice procured for Central Pool. 2.3 Coarse grains- Coarse grains are procured by the State governments based on their plan of procurement with prior approval of GOI & subject to distribution of procured coarse grain under TPDS in the procuring state itself. 3. In wheat and paddy procuring States like Punjab, Haryana & some parts Rajasthan procurement from farmers is undertaken by the FCI/State Agencies through Arthiyas as per State APMC Act. In other States procurement of wheat and paddy is made directly from farmers by FCI/ State Govt Agencies.

Also, the procurement happens through Centralised (DCP system in Telangana).

Under DCP system, the State Government/ its agencies procure, store and distribute (against Government of India's allocation for TPDS & OWS etc) rice /wheat/coarse grains within the state. The excess stocks (Rice & wheat) procured by the State /its agencies are handed over to FCI in Central Pool. The expenditure incurred by the State Government on procurement, storage and distribution of DCP stocks are reimbursed by Government of India on the laid down principles.

The expenses such as MSP, arhatiya/society commission, administrative charges, mandi labour charges, transportation charges, custody & maintenance charges, interest charges, gunny cost, milling charges and statutory taxes are reimbursed on actual basis. The cost of excess stocks handed over to FCI is reimbursed by FCI to the State Government/agencies as per Government of India costs sheet.

Why KCR has intensified protest now?
With the BJP trying to slowly and steadily making inroads into Telangana, the Chief Minister has decided to take the battle to Delhi. With the state going for polls in 2023, KCR is leaving no stone unturned to corner the BJP, which has emerged as major challenger to the TRS party.