Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has accused a scam in the export of rice to the Philippines, urging a House Committee investigation. The allegation was made by BRS Deputy Leader T. Harish Rao during a session in the Telangana Legislative Assembly. He raised concerns about the appointment of Premchand Garg as an advisor, citing ongoing legal issues faced by Garg.
Harish Rao pressed for clarity on the lack of tendering for rice exports and questioned the direct allocation of work to a private company. He also inquired about the status of 7,500 tonnes of rice reportedly stranded at Kakinada port and raised queries on warehouse and handling charges.
The BRS claimed financial losses for the state due to the alleged export irregularities and demanded a thorough investigation by a House Committee. In response, Civil Supplies Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy refuted the accusations, emphasizing the absence of any wrongdoing in the rice export process.
Reddy highlighted an agreement between Telangana and the Philippines government to streamline rice exports, eliminating intermediaries. He defended the agreement as a significant step and assured support for farmers by ensuring minimum support prices during the Rabi season. Additionally, Reddy pledged a bonus of Rs.500 for fine rice farmers and allocated Rs.3,500 crore for this purpose.
