Centre annually extends Rs 41,000/acre to farmers: Bandi

Ranga Reddy: State BJP chief Bandi Sanjay Kumar said on Wednesday that the Centre was extending urea and DPA assistance of Rs 41,000/acre for two crops in a year to farmers in Telangana under the Kisan Samman Nidhi.

Speaking as chief guest at the BJP Kisan Morcha State executive meeting at Bonguluru Gate here, he said the Modi government is committed to the welfare of farmers. "It is implementing several welfare schemes for them. A farmer bears only Rs 350 as against the actual cost of a bag of urea of about Rs 3,750. It is possible as the Centre is providing a 90 per cent subsidy.

Similarly, a farmer bears Rs 1,450 for DAP, as against the actual cost of Rs 4,073 a bag. Given three bags each of urea and DAP needed per acre and along with the KSN financial assistance provided under KSN, the Centre is extending assistance of Rs 41,000/acre annually, he added.

"On the other, the KCR government has suspended all subsidies to farmers in the name of providing the Rythu Bandhu Scheme (RBS). The TRS has destroyed the State's economy", he remarked, while asked farmers to think how can the CM could save them and address theirs woes when he is not in a position to give salaries on time to the government employees.

Bandi asked members of the morcha to go to farmers and explain the anti-farmer policies of KCR, and how all subsidies to farmers have been suspended in the name of RBS.

He alleged that KCR got pleasure in creating a non-issue on paddy procurement, declaring scrapping of all procurement centres and non-supply of paddy to the Centre, promising not to give paraboiled rice but took a U-turn. Similarly, he asked farmers to cultivate superfine paddy on one occasion, but changed tune to say "Vavari Veste Vure". However, the CM cultivates "Doddu Vodlu" in his farmhouse, the Karimnagar MP pointed out, besides diverting Rs 100 crore Central funds released for soil testing.

He clarified that the Centre is not against alternative crop cultivation in Telangana, but the party would not remain a mute spectator if the State government causes hardships to farmers in the name of alternate crops without conducting soil tests.

Bandi said farmers have suffered losses due to crop damage in natural calamities for the past eight years. But, the CM did not come to their rescue. That apart, he failed to deliver on the promise of farm loan waiver. "If BJP did not question, he might have given salaries to the government employees once in two-three months. Also journalists who backed the separate state agitation were deceived,.

The BJP government would sanction houses and health care, he assured. Earlier, the meeting, chaired by Morcha president Kondapalli Sridhar Reddy was inaugurated by national chief Rajkumar Chahar.