Nizamabad: The provision of Rs 500 bonus for paddy has inadvertently increased the illegal movement of paddy from neighboring Maharashtra and Karnataka to Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts. Although authorities try to strengthen interstate borders, middlemen play a key role in facilitating the smuggling operation.
Earlier, farmers used to transport paddy to Maharashtra in search of higher prices. On the pretext of supporting the farmers, some traders diverted paddy from Nizamabad and Kamareddy to Nanded, Latur, Bhede, Parbhani, Jalna, Pune, Solapur, Mumbai and other areas of Maharashtra. With the new Rs 500 bonus incentive, traders have started repatriating paddy from Maharashtra’s Nanded district to Telangana’s Nizamabad and Kamareddy districts.
Civil supplies, revenue and police officials have stepped up coordination to stop the importation of paddy from Maharashtra and Karnataka. However, these measures have largely failed due to the involvement of corrupt officials at key inter-state entry points. Traders use this loophole to smuggle paddy from places like Salabathpur, Pothangal, Birkur, Salura, Kandakurthi, Khandgaon.