Harish Rao slams Congress over delay in payments to maize farmers

Former Minister T Harish Rao criticised the Congress government for failing to release timely payments to farmers after procurement of crops like maize and paddy. He alleged that promises of depositing money within 48 hours were unfulfilled, with dues of Rs 45 crore pending for 450 farmers in Chinna Kodur alone.

Siddipet: Former Minister T Harish Rao accused the Congress government of limiting itself to mere statements on releasing payments to farmers after procurement of paddy, maize and other produce.

He said the promises of Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy and Civil Supplies Minister N Uttam Kumar Reddy of depositing money in farmers’ bank accounts within 48 hours of grain purchase were proving false, as farmers were still waiting for payments even 60 days after maize procurement.

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Rao made these remarks after farmers in Chinna Kodur complained that around Rs 45 crore payments were pending for 450 maize farmers in the mandal alone. He demanded that the government release the pending dues across the State immediately.

He said farmers were being forced to sell their produce to middlemen for instant cash since they needed money urgently for the Yasangi crop.

He further alleged that the Congress government had denied farmers loan waiver, bonus, Rythu Bharosa and several other benefits. He called upon rural voters to teach the Congress a lesson in the upcoming gram panchayat elections.

Countering the Chief Minister’s comments on the Kaleshwaram project, Rao said he would make Revanth take a dip in Ranganayaka Sagar to understand the project’s success.

Earlier, the BRS leader met the Sarpanches and ward members of Ramancha and Pandavapuram gram panchayats, elected unanimously. Appreciating their unity, he assured full support to these gram panchayats.