Food Minister Venkataramanan Inspects Direct Paddy Procurement Centres in Kancheepuram, Hears Farmer Grievances

Hon'ble Minister for Food and Civil Supplies Thiru P. Sengudarramanan today (04.06.2026) morning personally inspected two Direct Paddy Purchase Centres (DPC) — Uraiyalparanjcheri Government Direct Paddy Purchase Centre (DPC No.2061) and Vadakkuppattu Government Direct Paddy Purchase Centre (DPC No.6221) — in Sriperumbudur taluk, Kanchipuram district. During this inspection, some farmers from the area had brought paddy to the direct purchase centres and were waiting to sell it. The Hon'ble Minister personally met these farmers and enquired about the activities of the staff involved in paddy procurement, procurement hours, difficulties in loading and unloading paddy bags at the godowns, facilities, buffer stocks, the functioning of moisture-testing machines, the register of paddy bag arrivals, and land record (chitta adangal) requirements, and listened to the farmers' requests and views. He learned that the labourers working at these procurement centres had been brought in from the Delta districts. He also found that complaint boxes, price display boards, and quality-testing equipment, which are mandatorily required at direct paddy purchase centres, were not being maintained. During the inspection, he also personally observed that, because the direct paddy purchase centres were located in the open, paddy grains were being damaged by cattle. Farmers present at the centre also requested the Hon'ble Minister to have a compound wall, wire fencing, a raised platform, and drinking water and toilet facilities constructed at the direct paddy purchase centre. This inspection, which lasted about 3 hours, concluded around 1 PM. The concerned Revenue Inspector, Village Administrative Officers, and departmental officials were present during the inspection. He directed officials to engage local labour for procurement and dispatch to godowns, and to promptly consider and address the farmers' requests. Issued By: Director, Directorate of Information and Public Relations, Chennai-9