Niranjan Reddy slams Congress for postponing Cabinet meeting on El Nino

Former Agriculture Minister S. Niranjan Reddy criticised the Telangana government over the postponement of a Cabinet meeting on El Niño and alleged that farmers were being neglected. He raised concerns over irrigation water, power supply, crop losses and second-crop advisories

Hyderabad: Former Agriculture Minister S. Niranjan Reddy criticised Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy and other ministers for postponing a Cabinet meeting on El Niño scheduled for Monday and travelling to Delhi. He accused the government of neglecting farmers amid mounting agricultural distress.

In a statement, Niranjan Reddy said the Congress government had announced a Cabinet meeting and a video conference with farmers at Rythu Vedikas to discuss an El Niño contingency plan. However, he alleged that both had been postponed. He accused the Congress government of initially advising farmers to cultivate short-duration crops and now warning them against taking up a second crop.

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The former minister said the government had failed to ensure adequate irrigation water and a reliable power supply, leaving crops to wither while farmers struggled with low voltage and burnt-out motors. He also alleged that pumps at irrigation projects were being kept switched off despite the availability of water.

Accusing the Congress government of prioritising party interests over Telangana’s welfare, Niranjan Reddy said agriculture had prospered under BRS president K. Chandrashekar Rao but was facing renewed distress under the present government. He warned that people would hold the Congress accountable for pushing the farm sector into a crisis.