Govt pushing farm sector in crisis: Uttam

Nizamabad, Oct 7 (INN): Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy on Friday said that the state government has failed to estimate the losses incurred by the farmers due to crop damage in the State.

A team of Congress leaders led by the TPCC chief visited Mullangi village in Dichpally mandal and interacted with the farmers who lost their crop.

Speaking to media person later, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that farmers had planted Soya crop as per the advise of Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao. Since the crop has been lost due to recent heavy rains, the Chief Minister should ensure payment of adequate compensation. He asked the government to procure the partly damaged soya beans. He demanded that an MSP of Rs 3300 should be fixed for soya beans. He also demanded a compensation of Rs 10,000 per acre of crop damage. He suggested the government to make a comprehensive plan to tackle adversities if any in the Rabi season and urged the government to ensure sufficient supply of fertilizers and bank loans promptly.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the agri-sector in Telangana State has plunged into crisis due to anti-farmers policies of the state government. He said that the State Government has completely ignored the agriculture sector due to which the farmers are bearing the brunt. At a time when the farmers are suffering, the state government is spending crores of rupees in the name of Bathukamma celebrations. The government does not have money for farmers but has crores to spend for Bathukamma fete, the Congress leader remarked.

The TPCC chief demanded that the state government prepare the estimates of losses of the crop damage in the state and compensate the farmers at the earliest.

Stating that the state government has diverted the input subsidy funds to the contractors, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the state government's priority was contractors and not the welfare of the farmers.

The Congress leader demanded the TRS government to completely waive off the farms loans immediately and rescue the farmers of the state. He warned that his party would intensify stir in the coming days if the state government makes any further delay in waiving off the farm loans.

Former minister P. Sudarshan Reddy, former Speaker KR Suresh Reddy, AICC Spokesperson Madhu Yaskhi, MLC Akula Lalitha, DCC chief Taher Bin Hamdan, and other party leaders accompanied the TPCC chief.