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Harish slams Centre over rising fuel prices

Says Centre taking away benefits given by State to farmers by frequently increasing fuel prices

By Telangana Today

Updated On - 13 August 2021, 12:47 AM

Harish slams Centre over rising fuel prices — Finance Minister T Harish Rao (file photo)

Hyderabad: Finance Minister T Harish Rao on Thursday launched a blistering attack against the BJP government at the Centre for placing an additional financial burden on people, particularly farmers by frequently increasing fuel prices.

Pointing out that the Centre had increased diesel price from Rs 60 per litre to Rs 104 per litre, he said with the steep rise in diesel price, each farmer was now forced to spend Rs 5,000 towards fuel expenses to operate a tractor for the cultivation of an acre as against Rs 3,000 earlier, he said.

Speaking after distributing ‘Sri Nidhi’ cheques to women from 19 villages in Huzurabad and 30 wards from the town, Harish Rao said the State government was striving for the welfare of farmers by extending financial assistance to them but the Centre was taking it away by increasing diesel prices.

“Does any BJP or Congress-ruled State implement schemes introduced in Telangana?” he asked. Accusing former Minister Etela Rajender, now with BJP, of failing to construct houses for the poor in Huzurabad, Harish Rao said he helped the poor construct houses in Siddipet, Assembly Speaker Pocharam Srinivas Reddy in Banswada and V Srinivas Goud in Mahabubnagar.

“Why did Rajender fail to construct houses for the poor,” he asked, adding that he would take up the responsibility of constructing 4,000 houses sanctioned by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao for Huzurabad. Financial aid would be also given to those who have land.

Harish Rao said the Chief Minister would make an announcement on waiver of crop loans up to Rs 50,000 on August 15, benefitting as many as six lakh farmers. The TRS government implements whatever it promises to people. The Central government, however, has only been increasing diesel and petrol prices, he said.

He said quality education was provided to SC, ST, BC and Minority students in residential educational institutions. More than 3.40 lakh students were now studying in these institutions as against 30,000 students in undivided Andhra Pradesh.

“Do you want leaders who are relentlessly working or those who only indulge in talk?” he asked, promising that buildings for the women self-help groups would be constructed with all amenities in 16 villages at a cost of over Rs 3.10 crore.

Harish Rao said that Rs.20 crore was disbursed to the women through Sri Nidhi, bank linkage and interest-free loan facilities. Aasara pensions were given to over 38,000 people in Huzurabad and the same facility would be extended to those who attained 57 years.

“Rajender is opposing pensions, Kalyana Lakshmi and Rythu Bandhu schemes. Do you want these schemes or not?” he asked. Stating that various development activities were taken up in Telangana for the last seven years, he said a 24-hour free quality power supply was given to the agriculture sector and there is no shortage of fertilizers.

In undivided AP, farmers used to make a beeline in front of banks to seek crop loans. But Rs 10,000 per acre is now directly transferred into farmers accounts. With the Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project, the water bodies and canals were filled with water, Harish Rao said.

BC Welfare Minister Gangula Kamalakar, who was also present at the meeting, highlighted various schemes introduced by the TRS government since 2014.