Centre neglecting agriculture in the country: Niranjan Reddy

He complained that the Centre through the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had imposed restrictions on superfine quality paddy procurement at prices higher than the MSP.

Khammam: The Central government is neglecting agriculture and farmers in the country by adopting faulty farm policies, Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy said on Friday.

“The BJP government at the Centre has no proper orientation towards promotion of agriculture in the country. Half of the area in Gujarat where Prime Minister Narendra Modi was Chief Minister thrice in the past has been affected by drought,” the Minister said, and pointed out that on the other hand, agriculture lands in entire Telangana State was being irrigated because of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao’s commitment and his clear policy to support farmers in the State.

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Niranjan Reddy was speaking after inaugurating Rythu Vedika and Soil Testing Lab at Rathunathapalem in the district built by Transport Minister P Ajay Kumar at a cost of Rs 40 lakh in memory of his brother P Uday Kumar. He also inaugurated a Seed Testing Lab built at a cost of Rs 1.43 crore.

He also laid the foundation stones for 20,000 metric tonne capacity marketing warehouse to be built with Rs 11.50 crore  and 1200 tonne capacity seeds godown in Raghunathapalem mandal.

Addressing a public meeting on the occasion, the Minister said the State government was ready to procure superfine quality paddy at a price higher than the minimum support price (MSP) fixed by the Centre, provided the Centre withdraws its restrictions.

He complained that the Centre through the Food Corporation of India (FCI) had imposed restrictions on superfine quality paddy procurement at prices higher than the MSP.

“But the Union Minister of State for Home G Kishan Reddy is demanding the State government to procure superfine quality paddy by giving an incentive. We are ready to offer whatever it takes to help the farmers. Is Kishan Reddy ready to take the responsibility of stopping the Centre from causing any hindrance?” he asked.

The Telangana BJP leaders are only interested in blaming the State government rather than protecting the interests of the farmers. It is the time that the Centre should come up with an integrated agriculture policy, Niranjan Reddy felt.

He reminded that Telangana is the only State in India that is providing 24 hour free power to agriculture and introduced the Rythu Bandhu Scheme. The State is spending Rs 60, 000 crore on agriculture.

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