BJP demands input subsidy to chilli farmers
BJP state president Somu Veerraju addressing a Maha Dharna organised to demand clearance of dues to farmers, at agriculture commissioner's office in Guntur on Wednesday
Guntur: BJP state president Somu Veerraju criticised Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy for failing to pay input subsidy to the chilli farmers after their crop was damaged due to pest attack in the state. He said that the chilli farmers invested Rs 1 lakh to Rs 1.25 lakh per acre and suffered heavy loss due to crop damage. "They are not in a position to get back even 10 per cent to 15 per cent of their investment," he said.
Veerraju addressed the BJP leaders at the Maha Dharna at the agriculture commissioner's office here on Wednesday, to mount pressure on the government to pay input subsidy to farmers. He alleged that there were irregularities in paddy purchases and the government had failed to pay paddy purchase dues to farmers.
Alleging that Kakinada MLA's family members were involved in the irregularities in paddy purchases and looted the poor farmers, he demanded the resignation of AP Civil Supplies Corporation chairman Bhaskara Reddy.
Due to the failure of the TDP government, the YSRCP got 151 seats in the Assembly, he recalled.
Rajya Sabha Member GVL Narasimha Rao criticised that though the state government has sufficient funds to pay input subsidy to farmers, the government was not paying to the chilli farmers. He recalled that the YSRCP won almost all the Assembly seats in Guntur district but not doing justice to the chilli farmers.
BJP national executive member Kanna Lakshminarayana criticised that the state government had not been distributing drip irrigation equipment to the farmers for the last three years and diverting the Central funds to other schemes. He said that the government had failed to solve the problems of farmers in the state.
Later, they submitted a memorandum to the officials in the agriculture commissioner's office demanding payment of input subsidy to the chilli farmers and paddy purchase dues to the farmers immediately.
MLC Vakati Narayana Reddy, BJP state general secretary Vishnuvardhan Reddy, Kisan Morcha state president Vangala Sasibushan Reddy, Tobacco Board chairman Yadlapati Raghunadha Babu, BJP leaders Pathuri Naga Bhushanam, V Panduranga Vithal were present.