Congress wants to jeopardise Telangana’s progress: CM KCR

This was evident from the manner in which Congress leaders were terming expenditure of agriculture a misuse of tax revenues. 

Hyderabad: The Congress party is attempting to revive the middlemen system and encourage rampant corruption, jeopardizing the progress of agriculture and farmers in Telangana, BRS president and Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao said here on Thursday, pointing out that this was evident from the manner in which Congress leaders were terming expenditure of agriculture a misuse of tax revenues.

This was when the BRS government was focusing on farmers’ welfare and reviving the past glory of agriculture, he said while addressing massive gatherings at Praja Ashirvada Sabha meetings in Adilabad and Boath constituencies on Thursday.

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Reiterating that welfare remained a priority for the BRS government and support to farmer-centric schemes would continue unabated, Chandrashekhar Rao said the BRS government took a policy decision to strengthen agriculture and launched many initiatives including Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima, uninterrupted power supply and also abolished water cess among others.

Despite some losses, the State government was purchasing the entire paddy crop from farmers, contributing significantly to the improvement of agriculture in Telangana.

“But Congress leaders like N Uttam Kumar Reddy feel that expenditure on Rythu Bandhu to support farmers is waste of tax revenue. Is it a waste expenditure?” he asked the gathering, which responded with a loud and firm ‘No’.

In its third term, the BRS would enhance the Rythu Bandhu support to Rs.16,000 per acre per annum in a phased manner, he said.

The Chief Minister also took a jibe at TPCC president A Revanth Reddy for suggesting three hours power supply to agriculture and questioned his agricultural knowledge. “The TPCC president wants farmers to fit 10HP motors to irrigate their lands within three hours. But who will bear the expenditure to purchase these 10HP motors for agricultural connections?” he asked.

Chandrashekhar Rao pointed out the revolutionary impact of the Dharani land registration system, which eradicated middlemen and corruption and empowered farmers/land owners with complete rights on their lands. Slamming Rahul Gandhi’s declaration that the Congress, if elected, would scrap the Dharani portal, the Chief Minister cautioned that such a move would disrupt essential government support to farmers including Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima and even disbursement of payment to farmers through paddy sales to the government.

The BRS president urged voters to consider the consequences of electing the Congress party, which would destroy the State’s progress in the last 10 years. For 50 years, the Congress made only promises to construct the Lower Penganga project during every election and yet did not fulfill any of the promises. However, the BRS fulfilled its promise by constructing the Chanaka Korata barrage which would change the fate of Adilabad and Boath constituencies.

“While majority of works have been completed and works pertaining to distributory canals are in progress. After the Assembly polls, we will complete those to provide irrigation water to over 50,000 acres. We will also link it to Pipalkoti reservoir to supply water to surrounding areas,” he said, also promising to complete construction of the Kutpi reservoir in Boath constituency during the ensuing term.

Urging voters to cast their ballots with caution, emphasising the significance of selecting candidates and political parties that align with the State’s progress and welfare, Chandrashekhar Rao also said the election’s outcome would seal the fate of Telangana for the next five years and urged the voters to ensure the success of democracy by voting responsibly.