Pro-farmer government has to come to power at the Centre: Niranjan Reddy

Niranjan Reddy addressed BRS Athmeeya Sammelanam at Beerapalli of Vemsoor mandal in the district on Monday

Khammam: There was a need for a pro-farmer government to come to power at the Centre to implement Telangana model of agriculture across the nation, suggested Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy.

Niranjan Reddy addressed BRS Athmeeya Sammelanam at Beerapalli of Vemsoor mandal in the district on Monday. Water for every acre of land and work for every person was the goal of Telangana government and the aspiration of Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, he said.

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For that purpose Telangana was spending huge amounts of funds to provide irrigation, free 24-hour electricity, Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima and to procure agricultural produce from farmers even though the Centre does not provide any assistance.

Because of the above scheme agriculture in Telangana sustained and the farmers of the country should also be benefited with such schemes.

Compared to other States in the country, Telangana was in number one place in development, the minister noted.

There should be a continuous discussion on the development happening in the villages without any connection with the elections. Athemeeya Sammelanams were being conducted to unite the party leaders, workers and people like a family, Niranjan Reddy said.

The State government was spending Rs 4.5 lakh crore on agriculture annually. Even though the Centre failed to support, the Telangana government was providing Rs10, 000 per acre to rain-hit farmers in the State.

The BJP government at the Centre has promised to double the income of the country’s farmers but only doubled the investment costs. The BJP’s promise of giving a monthly pension to small and marginal farmers who were over 60 years old remained unfulfilled, he complained.

MP Bandi Parthasaradhi Reddy, MLA Sandra Venkata Veeraiah, former minister Tummala Nageshwar Rao, DCMS chairman R Seshagiri Rao, District Library chairman K Umamaheshwar Rao and others were present.