Speed up paddy procurement, Sasikala tells TN government

In a statement, Ms. Sasikala, who was aide to late CM Jayalalithaa, said there were complaints that farmers were incurring losses as paddy sprouted in bags getting wet in the rains

V.K. Sasikala, aide of late AIADMK leader Jayalalithaa, on Saturday, urged the State government to speed up the procurement of paddy and clear dues to farmers, especially in the Cauvery delta region.

In a statement, she said there were complaints that farmers were incurring losses as paddy sprouted in bags that got wet in rains. As several thousand bags of paddy were at the Direct Procurement Centres and yet to be procured, farmers were forced to keep their produce covered with tarpaulin sheets, she said, and urged the government to clear the paddy bags.