TDP asks govt to clear 3,6K-cr arrears to food grain farmers

Mangalagiri: Former minister and TDP politburo member Kalava Srinivasulu on Friday expressed concern that the farmers were facing serious problems even as the agricultural crisis was deepening alarmingly ever since the YSRCP came to power in the state. He said that the YSRCP government failed miserably in all aspects right from remunerative prices, seed, input subsidy, crop insurance and compensation in times of damages. Many doubts were coming up over why the Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy government was not paying dues of Rs 3,600 crore to food grain farmers.

Addressing a press conference here, the TDP leader expressed surprise on how the present rulers were not hesitating to harass even the farmers from whom the government purchased food grain but not paying dues in time. The Rythu Bharosa Kendras were only causing greater suffering.

Srinivasulu asked why the government had not paid input subsidy to the crop damages caused during the 2018 kharif season. At many places, the farmers did not receive crop insurance since the RBKs had not implemented the e-crop facility in time. The government was not providing subsidy drip irrigation implements to the Rayalaseema farmers.

Srinivasulu deplored that the YSRCP regime's negligence has deprived the AP farmers of over Rs 3,000 crore drip irrigation subsidies of the Centre. It would be better if the agriculture minister mind his own business of solving farmers' problems instead of poking his nose into needless matters.

He asserted that any government should act and obey the orders of the river water board concerned regarding the water distribution and irrigation projects. He said the AP government had a duty to complete the Veligonda project since it was included in the Reorganisation Act.