Hyderabad, May 26 (Reporter) Telangana Civil Supplies Minister Capt Uttam Kumar Reddy has criticised opposition parties for spreading false propaganda against the Congress government regarding the sales and purchase of rice in the state. Speaking to the media at Gandhi Bhavan on Sunday, Minister Uttam lashed out at former minister K T Rama Rao (KTR) and BJP Legislative party leader Maheswara Reddy, accusing them of making baseless allegations either knowingly or unknowingly. He stated that the BRS and BJP have joined forces to spread lies and misinformation, but there is no truth in their criticism. The Minister said the Civil Supplies department under the previous government had incurred debts of Rs 58,000 crores, with Rs 11,000 crores specifically from the Civil Supply Corporation. He emphasized that the current government has started purchasing grain earlier than the previous administration and has taken a revolutionary step by buying wet grain at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). He accused the BRS and BJP of speaking in favour of defaulter rice millers and creating difficulties for them by questioning why no action is being taken against the millers. He refuted claims that he took money from millers, stating that he hasn't even met them, and reiterated that it is inappropriate to malign an honest person like him. Uttam clarified that he had not purchased a single grain of rice for personal gain. He asserted that if thin (fine) rice is sold at Rs 42 per kilogram, the government is ready to buy it immediately, provided the sellers agree to the conditions in the tender. He assured that the government is taking action against erring millers. Responding to opposition criticisms, he stated that during the BRS government, the price of paddy was Rs 1700 per quintal, whereas it is now Rs 2007 per quintal under the Congress government, resulting in an additional income of Rs 1,100 crores for farmers. Minister Uttam Kumar Reddy condemned the opposition for their irresponsible criticisms and emphasised the positive impact of the current government's policies on the agricultural sector...////...