Why so farmers ending lives in Telangana: Sitharaman counters Harish Rao

Hyderabad: Targeting the ruling government in Telangana and countering State Health Minister Harish Rao's comments over Ayushman Bharat scheme, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday said that 2,237 farmers committed suicide in Telangana from 2017 to 2019. "Why so many farmers' deaths in Telangana if KCR government is pro-farmer," she asked.

The Union Minister recalled that the TRS government vowed to waive off Rs 17,000 crore crop loans. "Farm loans of only 5% farmers waived off by the state government till now," she slammed. She expressed anger over the Telangana government for not paying full compensation to displaced of Kaleshwaram, Palamuru-Rangareddy, Sitarama, and Mid-Manair irrigation projects.

She claimed that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is aware of the needs of states. "Several welfare schemes were introduced by the Modi government for farmers from 2014," she found fault with KCR government for politicising issues of farmers to derive political mileage. She is continuing her third day tour of Telangana on Saturday.