Govt claims Rythu Varostavalu a grand success as farmers protest procurement delays

Despite mounting farmer protests and tragic deaths linked to procurement delays and unseasonal rains, the Congress government in Telangana has declared its Rythu Varostavalu outreach programme a success.

Hyderabad: As a few farmers fell at the feet of officials and pleaded with them to procure their stocks and staged protests over procurement delays, the Congress government claimed that the ‘Rythu Varostavalu’ was a grand success.

In the previous week, about eight farmers had died due to cardiac arrests, sunstrokes and wall collapse incidents at different procurement centres across Telangana.

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Since the last few days, the farming community has been facing hardships due to the delay in procurement of their stocks. The unseasonal rains that have been lashing at different places have only compounded the farmers’ struggles.

Even as the farming community continued to struggle and expressed concerns over the losses due to the unseasonal rains, the Congress government did not come to their rescue.

Questions are being raised over the Ministers’ failure to visit the procurement centres and infuse confidence among the farmers. Though the Ministers had issued statements and assured farmers of full support, the farming community was left in distress.

Amidst these situations, the agriculture department claimed that the Rythu Varostvalu was conducted successfully across the State. The programme was conducted as part of the “Praja Palana – Pragathi Pranalika” initiative of the State government.

Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao had formally launched the Rythu Varostvalu on May 4 at Vikarabad. This was followed by a Rythu Mela at Hanamkonda on May 5 and other programmes on subsequent days, concluding on Saturday with awareness programmes for the farmers on effective use of water.