Harish Rao challenges BJP leaders on paddy MSP disparity in Telangana

Former Minister T Harish Rao criticised BJP MPs for not raising the MSP disparity between paddy and wheat in Parliament. He also accused the Congress government of stalling SLIP and BLIP irrigation projects and announced plans for a padayatra to pressurise the state

Sangareddy: Former Minister T Harish Rao has challenged BJP MPs and Union Ministers from Telangana to raise the issue of disparity in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for paddy and wheat in Parliament if they are truly committed to the cause of Telangana farmers.

Speaking at the ‘Alai Balai’ programme organised at Vatpally by former Andole MLA Kranthi Kiran, Harish Rao said the MSP for both paddy and wheat was Rs 1,400 per quintal in 2014 when the BJP came to power. Since then, the MSP for wheat has risen to Rs 2,585, while paddy has only reached Rs 2,369.

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He pointed out that the Rs 216 difference in MSPs is a grave injustice to farmers in southern states, particularly Telangana, where paddy is a major crop. Due to this disparity, he said, paddy farmers are losing nearly Rs 20,000 every season. Despite the injustice, BJP MPs and union Ministers from Telangana had never raised the issue before Prime Minister Narendra Modi or in the Lok Sabha, he alleged.

Turning his criticism towards the State government, the former minister said the BRS had been exposing its failures by distributing ‘bhakthi cards’ to every household. He recalled that the BRS government had laid the foundation for the Sangameshwara and Basaveshwara Lift Irrigation Projects (SLIP and BLIP) to provide irrigation water across Sangareddy district. However, he alleged, the Congress government had stalled both projects after coming to power.

Harish Rao said the party would soon launch a movement, including a padayatra, to pressurise the Congress government to resume the SLIP and BLIP works. Urging BRS workers to highlight the failures of the Congress government, he also called upon voters to question Congress leaders about their unfulfilled promises whenever they visit homes seeking votes.

Sangareddy MLA Chintha Prabhakar and BRS leaders P Jaipal Reddy, Erolla Srinivas, V Adarsh Reddy, Gadila Srikanth Goud, Mamilla Rajendar, Kasala Buchi Reddy, and Palle Sanjeeviah were present.