BRS slams Congress for ignoring farmers hit by Cyclone Montha

BRS MLA Palla Rajeshwar Reddy accused the Congress government of ignoring farmers hit by Cyclone Montha. He alleged that Chief Minister Revanth Reddy and Ministers were focused on politics instead of relief. BRS demanded immediate crop procurement and CCI relaxation

Hyderabad: BRS MLA Palla Rajeshwar Reddy came down heavily on the Congress government for its indifference towards farmers devastated by Cyclone Montha. He said that despite massive crop losses across several districts, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Ministers had shown zero response while being preoccupied with the Jubilee Hills by-election and political events in Hyderabad.

Addressing media persons at Telangana Bhavan on Thursday, Rajeshwar Reddy said maize, cotton, soybean, and paddy crops spread across lakhs of acres were destroyed, but the government had not initiated any relief measures or procurement drives. Around four lakh of 6.5 lakh acres of maize were damaged.

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“Farmers are not even getting Rs 1,800 per quintal against the Minimum Support Price (MSP) of Rs 2,400. The government has not purchased even a quintal of soybean,” he said.

The BRS MLA demanded that the government buy all wet crops immediately, open more than 4,000 pending paddy procurement centres, and convince the Cotton Corporation of India (CCI) to relax moisture norms to 17 per cent. He accused Ministers of looting the State through contractor deals while neglecting rain-affected areas in the erstwhile Warangal district.

MLC Thatha Madhu criticised that despite being home to three Ministers, the erstwhile Khammam district remained neglected.

“A DCM driver was washed away in Madhira, and people are protesting. Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, who represents Madhira in the Assembly, or other Ministers from the erstwhile district are nowhere to be seen. Farmers need help, not excuses,” he said.