HYDERABAD: An Ordinance will be promulgated, if necessary, to curb the sale of spurious seeds and pesticides in the State, said Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, during a review meeting on agriculture at Pragathi Bhavan on Saturday. He directed Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar to promulgate the Ordinance to enact the existing Acts, and ensure stringent action against traders of spurious seeds and pesticides.

The CM directed the officials concerned to register cases against such traders under the PD Act. He also warned that if Agriculture Department officials colluded with spurious seed traders, they would be removed from service and face five years’ jail term. “Those officers who work sincerely will be given auxiliary promotions and medals,” the CM said.

Rao directed Director General of Police (DGP) M Mahender Reddy to depute police teams in the districts to nab the traders of spurious seeds. “Declare war against fake seeds and fight like Lord Narasimha,” Rao told officials.Traders of spurious seeds and those selling pesticides in the name of bio-pesticides should be dealt with an iron hand, he told officials. Seeds and pesticides of only authorised companies must be made available to farmers, he said, and directed that a QR code traceability system should be implemented in the State.

Rythu Bandhu benefits
The CM directed Principal Secretary for Finance K Ramakrishna Rao to deposit Rythu Bandhu amounts into the bank accounts of farmers for Kharif season between June 15 and 25, following the model adopted for Rabi crop. The cut-off date for the Rythu Bandhu scheme for those lands which were transferred from Part-B to Part-A was June 10.

CM to write to Modi
“Telangana is the only State in the country that is purchasing paddy from farmers even during the pandemic. The Opposition leaders have failed to understand this, and are encouraging farmers to stage dharnas. But the farmers are not falling for their tricks, and are chasing such politicians away,” Rao said. The CM said that 87 per cent of paddy from the Rabi season has been purchased till date, and that the remaining would procured soon. “Farmers need not worry about it,” he averred.

Rao, however, expressed displeasure over the attitude of the Central government. “The Centre is purchasing the whole of paddy produced in States like Punjab. The Centre should purchase paddy produced in Telangana too,” he demanded. He said that he would write a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighting the partisan attitude of the Food Corporation of India.

‘Adopt new technology’
The CM urged farmers not to raise paddy nurseries and adopt “dispersal of paddy seeds” technology, which would save around `10,000 crore of their money for two crops.