KTR calls for Statewide protests against Congress govt’s failure in crop procurement
BRS working president KT Rama Rao called for statewide protests over alleged delays in crop procurement and failure to establish adequate procurement centres. He accused the Telangana government of neglecting farmers and demanded procurement of all crops at MSP without conditions
Hyderabad: BRS working president KT Rama Rao called for statewide protests, directing party cadres to mobilise at procurement centres and government offices in support of distressed farmers. He mounted a sharp attack on the Revanth Reddy government over its failure to establish adequate procurement centres even as farmers awaited procurement of their harvested crops.
During a visit to a Bengal gram procurement centre in Sadasivapet of Sangareddy district on Monday, Rama Rao interacted with farmers who alleged that the government was not purchasing their produce, leaving them in acute distress. He said the procurement mechanism had completely broken down, with the government resorting to theatrics instead of ensuring timely crop purchases.
On the occasion, the BRS working president urged party leaders and workers to inspect procurement centres in their respective localities across the State over the next week, stand by farmers until stocks are lifted and stage protests if procurement does not take place. He also called for demonstrations in front of Tahsildar and District Collector offices and submission of memorandums to officials.
“The BRS will not relent until every grain is procured,” he declared.
Rama Rao demanded that all crops be procured at the Minimum Support Price (MSP), alleging that farmers cultivating paddy, jowar and Bengal gram were not receiving assured prices. He insisted that procurement should be carried out without conditions.
He targeted the Congress government over the delay in disbursing Rythu Bandhu financial assistance. He criticised the government for not ensuring timely release of funds and allegedly deceiving farmers with unfulfilled promises. He contrasted this with the previous BRS regime under K Chandrashekar Rao, pointing out that financial support and procurement were handled efficiently without restrictions.
Rama Rao held the Congress government responsible for farmers’ deaths at procurement centres due to alleged official apathy. He warned that the BRS would intensify its agitation across Telangana in support of farmers if immediate corrective steps were not taken.
BRS working president KT Rama Rao accused the Congress government of deliberately avoiding large-scale crop procurement to escape paying the Minimum Support Price (MSP). He said against a target of 95 lakh metric tonnes of paddy in the Yasangi season, only 9 lakh tonnes had been procured so far, with no payments made to farmers. He said in Sangareddy, no procurement centres were set up.
Pointing to poor procurement of maize and jowar, he said only three lakh tonnes out of 10 lakh tonnes of maize was procured and jowar procurement was completely sidelined. He said farmers, already hit by delayed loan waivers and lack of Rythu Bandhu support, were being pushed into distress, citing recent farmer deaths as evidence of administrative failure.
