BJP steps up its ante against Congress on farmers' issues

Hyderabad : BJP state vice-president NVVS Prabhakar and BJP senior leader, former MP Dr Boora Narsaiah Goud criticised the Congress party and Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy for letting down farmers with false promises and alleged that the agriculture sector in the state is facing a crisis situation.

Prabhakar said that the government has not been able to support farmers, and there has been a significant decrease in crop area and yield in the state. “Power cuts for agriculture have increased, and there is a lack of water in the canals. The government has failed to provide compensation for crop damage due to lack of rain and untimely rains,” he alleged.

Further, while the grain piles are increasing, the farmers are finding it difficult to sell their paddy as the procurement centres are not open, he added.

On the farm loan waiver promise he said that the KCR government took ten years to waive farmers' loans up to Rs 1 lakh. “However, the passbooks of many farmers are still in banks as collateral. Now, the Congress's failure to deliver its Rs 2 lakh farm loan waiver is making things worse for them. Apart from this, the farmers have not received the Rythu Bandhu funds. The Congress promised Rs 25,000 for crop damage. However, there is no response from the government when the crops are damaged during drought and untimely rains,” he added.

On CM Revanth Reddy's statement of forming a new "Rythu Corporation", he said, the State government has exceeded its FRBM limits, if the corporation needs loans, it has to source from non-budgetary sources, he pointed out. He charged the state government with severely hindering the farmer cooperative sector.

He demanded the government call for an urgent meeting with representatives of farmers' associations and intellectuals, and an all-party meeting to discuss and solve the farmers' problems.

He said during the election campaign of Bhuvanagiri, CM Revanth Reddy took an oath on Yadadri Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy, promising to implement Rs 2 lakh farm loan waiver on August 15. “The Chief Minister should implement what he says. For the implementation of promises, he need not swear by Gods. Instead, instill trust in people by delivering what is promised,” he pointed out.

The former MP said that 54 lakh acres of paddy have been harvested in Yasangi and 50 million tons of grain is being produced. As per the promise given by the Congress party, Rs. 500 per bonus comes to Rs 7,500 crore for its implementation. However, for the last ten days, there has been no direction of procurement and paying bonuses at the procurement centres, he claimed.

He took strong objection on imposing a new condition that the bonus would be paid only for fine rice, saying the majority of farmers in Telangana cultivate 'Doddu biyyam’ (coarse rice).