BJP alleges ₹500 crore paddy procurement scam, seeks probe

State BJP president N. Ramchander Rao on Thursday alleged large-scale irregularities in paddy procurement and demanded an immediate probe into the alleged diversion of government-procured paddy worth ₹500 crore and nearly 90,000 metric tonnes of stocks.In a letter to Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, a copy of which was released to the media, Mr. Rao urged the government to accord the issue the highest priority and take steps to ensure transparency, fix accountability and protect the interests of farmers.Describing the paddy procurement system as a crucial safeguard for farmers’ livelihoods and an integral part of the public distribution framework, he said any diversion or misuse of government stocks causes significant losses to the public exchequer and erodes farmers’ confidence.Mr. Rao al