Marking a four-fold increase in paddy procurement, the Uttar Pradesh government today informed that it has procured 14.49 lakh tonnes paddy for Rs 2,250 crore, thus benefiting 1,68,112 farmers. This was conveyed by Chief Secretary Rajive Kumar at a meeting here with Food Corporation of India (FCI) Chairman and Managing Director Yogendra Tripathi and other top FCI officials on procurement and storage of paddy in the state. The chief secretary that the FCI had opened 132 centres for procurement of paddy.