Article Today, Hyderabad: Despite repeated appeals to Chief Minister Revanth Reddy, serious allegations of corruption continue to surface against senior officials of Telangana State Co-operative Oilseeds Growers’ Federation Ltd (Oilfed). Farmers and local leaders claim that large-scale financial irregularities are being carried out in collusion with private firms and contractors, while the officials involved enjoy political and bureaucratic protection.
Ignored Appeals Spark Discontent
Leaders of the Oil Palm Growers’ Society from Ashwaraopet zone, including president Umamaheswar Reddy and secretary Kokkera Pullaiah, met the Chief Minister twice over the past year. They requested an inquiry into irregularities that took place under the previous government. These include unauthorized area allotments, setting up nurseries and factories without proper planning, import of substandard saplings from abroad, and diversion of CSR funds. However, no concrete action has followed, leading to growing dissatisfaction among farmers.
Accusations Against Key Officials
Officials such as GM Sudhakar Reddy, Manager Srikant Reddy, and Deputy Manager Praveen Reddy have come under fire. Former MD Surender is also accused of shielding them. Complaints include procurement of poor-quality saplings, disappearance of plants from nurseries, and the construction of an over-budget factory at Narmetta worth nearly Rs.300 crore, far beyond actual needs. Farmers allege these developments reflect misuse of public funds and demand a high-level probe.
Cover-Up of Previous Inquiries
In a prior internal investigation, Praveen Reddy was found responsible for irregularities in Ashwaraopet nurseries. Then MD Nirmala had ordered recovery of Rs.40 lakh from him. However, the succeeding MD reversed this decision, reportedly offering him full support. Likewise, Srikant Reddy is said to have played a key role in awarding the Narmetta factory contract to a favored firm, manipulating project costs significantly beyond necessity.
Farmers Left in Crisis
Faulty saplings have led to crop failures, pushing oil palm farmers into deep losses. Though the government announced support prices earlier, farmers claim they are not receiving fair compensation. They urged the CM to fix Rs.25,000 per tonne as a minimum support price and to construct a refinery in the undivided Khammam district under Oilfed’s management.
Alleged Protection from Influential Figures
Farmers allege that one influential public representative and a former MD are giving open assurance to the accused officials, telling them not to worry about media reports or farmer protests. It is also claimed that officials are urging private companies not to panic, even after the visit of a central inspection team.
No Fear of Accountability
Despite exposure in the media and on-ground inspections, the accused officials reportedly remain emboldened. They are said to be confident that political support will shield them. Some insiders claim that even the central team’s visit did not deter them and that they were assured of full backing by senior figures in the federation.
Hope Rests on CM’s Intervention
Farmers remain hopeful that CM Revanth Reddy, who has previously spoken in favor of agricultural reforms, will personally intervene. They plan to seek another audience with him, requesting immediate action against corrupt practices within Oilfed and protection for the livelihoods of thousands of oil palm cultivators across the state.
