Niranjan Reddy demands clarity on Rythu Bharosa assistance for Yasangi season

Former Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy questioned the government's plans for Rythu Bharosa and drought relief, alleging failures in irrigation, power supply and El Nino preparedness. He claimed crop losses across 28 lakh acres and economic damage exceeding Rs 50,000 crore.

Hyderabad: Former Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy demanded clarity on whether the Congress government would release Rythu Bharosa funds for the Yasangi (Rabi) season and announce drought relief for farmers. He blamed the Congress government for turning Rythu Bharosa into a drama and failing to prepare for the impact of El Nino.

In a statement, Niranjan Reddy said fake messages claiming that Rythu Bharosa funds had been credited to farmers’ accounts were sent to nearly three lakh farmers without the government’s knowledge. He questioned how farmers’ account details and phone numbers had reached unidentified persons. He said the government had failed to safeguard the data but had lodged a police complaint over the messages.

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He said scientists and agricultural experts had warned about El Nino nearly 10 months in advance, but the government had taken no precautionary measures. He accused it of neglecting the Kaleshwaram, Devadula, Kalwakurthy and Kannepalli lift irrigation projects, allowing Godavari and Krishna river waters to go to waste. “The Congress failed to fill four reservoirs under the Palamuru-Rangareddy project,” he alleged.

The former Minister blamed inadequate coal stocks and the failure to make advance power purchases for power cuts during the crucial crop season, with farmers receiving around six hours of power supply. Cotton, paddy, maize and red gram crops had dried up across nearly 28 lakh acres, he said.

He accused the government of failing to provide compensation despite declaring mandals drought-affected. “The Chief Minister’s statement that irrigation water would not be available from November to February, and his advice to farmers against sowing, indicated this government’s negligence towards agriculture,” he remarked.

Estimating the economic loss from inadequate power and irrigation at over Rs 50,000 crore, he said the government was shifting responsibility to officials and blaming El Nino rather than taking contingency measures.