Taking note of concerns over non-procurement of paddy in parts of north India, Lok Sabha Speaker Meira Kumar today asked the government to initiate urgent steps to ameliorate the problems of the farmers.

"It is a serious issue, particularly the plight of farmers and paddy-growers. We don't want them to suffer. I urge upon the government to kindly take urgent steps," the Speaker said after the matter was raised during Zero Hour.

Her observation came after members from Samajwadi Party, Left, BJP and Trinamool Congress expressed serious concern over the plight of paddy-growers in Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh and West Bengal affected by non- procurement of their produce by FCI.

Raising the issue, Rewati Raman Singh (SP) sending central teams to states like Uttar Pradesh would not resolve the issue, whose solution lay in Delhi.

"The Food Minister should come to the House and respond," he said, adding paddy-growers were not getting remunerative price as the cost of their produce was much more than the minimum support price (MSP) decided by the government.

Farmers were being forced to sell their produce to middlemen who paid much less than the MSP as the Food Corporation of India was not procuring paddy on various "flimsy" grounds.

His plea found instant support from several opposition members.

The matter was raised last week too by Jagdambika Pal (Cong), generating much heat with SP, RJD and BJP members supporting his contention and seeking immediate statement from the government.