Harish Rao accuses Congress of neglecting drought-hit farmers

Former Minister T Harish Rao accused the Congress government of neglecting drought-hit farmers while focusing on the global summit. He demanded drought relief, Rythu Bharosa funds, loan waivers, paddy procurement, pending bonuses and improved irrigation and drinking water arrangements.

Medak: Former Minister T Harish Rao said the Congress government was focusing on organising the global summit lavishly rather than addressing the plight of farmers seriously affected by drought. Speaking to reporters after interacting with farmers of Chilipched mandal in Narsapur Assembly constituency on Friday, Harish Rao said the Cabinet led by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy had discussed little beyond the global summit during its meeting held in Hyderabad on Thursday, ignoring the suffering of farmers. Even though the government had announced that crops across more than 25 lakh acres had been affected by drought, he said it had taken no steps to support them.

Stating that neighbouring Karnataka and Maharashtra had released Rs 5,000 per acre as immediate relief, Rao called upon the Congress government to announce drought relief by following the example of the two neighbouring States. Apart from that, he demanded that Revanth Reddy release Yasangi Rythu Bharosa funds to benefit farmers, since the government had already announced that it would not supply water and power for irrigation during the season.

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Since farmers had suffered serious losses during Vanakalam, the former Minister asked Revanth Reddy to implement the loan waiver for farmers who had been denied the benefit across the State. He said more than 15,000 farmers had been denied loan waivers in Narsapur constituency alone.

While Revanth Reddy was focusing on Musi River development, Future City and laying roads from Future City to Kodangal, apart from spending huge amounts on the Chief Minister’s special flights to New Delhi, Rao said the Congress government had failed to fulfil its promises to the farming community, besides denying farmers irrigation water. He accused the Congress government of failing to lift Godavari water from Devadula and Krishna water through the Kalwakurthy Lift Irrigation Scheme.

Referring to the shortage of drinking water, the former Minister demanded that the government restrict the available water supply to the erstwhile Medak district and make alternative arrangements to meet Hyderabad’s requirements.

Saying that the government was delaying paddy procurement with the intention of denying farmers the bonus for fine rice, Rao demanded that it begin procurement without delay and make all necessary arrangements. He also demanded that the government release the pending bonus to farmers and implement Rythu Bima.

MLAs V Sunitha Lakshma Reddy, Chintha Prabhakar and others were present.