Amaravati: Kodali Nani's insults will not help farmers, says Uma Maheswara Rao

Amaravati: Former minister and TDP leader Devineni Uma Maheswara Rao on Saturday advised civil supplies minister Kodali Sri Venkateswara Rao (Nani)to focus on solving the problems of paddy farmers instead of hurling the same old abuses and insults at former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu and former minister Nara Lokesh.

Uma Maheswara Rao termed it as shameful on the part of the minister to divert the people's attention by using abusive language against the opposition leadership. Kodali Nani was only trying to see joy and happiness in the eyes of Chief Minister Y S Jaganmohan Reddy but not those of the farmers who were waiting for their dues payment for over 3 months, he remarked.

Addressing a press conference here, the TDP leader said that over 2.44 lakh farmers sold 28.35 lakh metric tonne (MT) paddy at the 1,777 paddy purchase centres. For this, the government needed to pay Rs 5,308 crore but over Rs 3,670 crore was still to be paid to the farmers.

The minister was telling lies on the timely payments. Also, Kodali Nani was lying that just Rs 1,637 crore was to be paid. The minister should publish a white paper and resign immediately because of his unchecked lies, he demanded.

Uma Maheswara Rao asked the YSRCP government whether it was doing anything to prevent exploitation when middlemen and traders were looting the farmers in the villages. While the 75 kg bag paddy was costing Rs 1,416 in the market, the middlemen were buying the same at Rs 800 to Rs. 1,000 in villages. Farmers' eyes were filled with tears and blood under the Jagan regime, he said.

The TDP leader deplored that over 6.48 lakh MT paddy was still with the farmers. The government left field open for the middlemen and millers to cheat the innocent farmers. The minister should realise that abusing Naidu and Lokesh would not bring solutions to the farmers, he said adding Rythu Bharosa Kendras have turned into Rythu Bogus Kendras.

Uma Maheswara Rao said the farmers of all crops were suffering for lack of support and remunerative prices.

The tomato, banana, pulses and other crops brought losses to the farmers. The government did not do anything to save them from the debts, he said.