Time to decide whether farmers want electricity meters or free power: KTR

Hyderabad: TRS (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao wanted farmers to decide whether they wanted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was fixing electricity meters to their water pumps, or Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, who was supporting them with free power, Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima and other schemes. He wanted the farmers of Munugode constituency […]

Hyderabad: TRS (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao wanted farmers to decide whether they wanted Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who was fixing electricity meters to their water pumps, or Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao, who was supporting them with free power, Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima and other schemes. He wanted the farmers of Munugode constituency to deliver their verdict in the form of votes in the Munugode by-poll on November 3.

In a teleconference with farmers from Munugode constituency on Tuesday, Rama Rao urged farmers to compare their condition before the formation of the State and during the TRS regime in the last eight years. He reminded that Telangana was the only State to spend Rs 10,500 crore every year to supply free power to agriculture sector in the country. He also mentioned that the State government spent Rs 58,000 crore for Rythu Bandhu and was providing Rs 5 lakh insurance under Rythu Bima which changed the face of agriculture sector.

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“Since the State formation, the State government has spent Rs 1.17 lakh crore for procurement of paddy and other crops to support farmers even during the Covid pandemic,” he pointed out. He stated that the government had not only driven away flourosis by supplying drinking water to every household under Mission Bhagiratha, but was also supplying irrigation water to agricultural fields.

“The Telangana government is constructing the Lakshmanapalle, Krishnarayanipalle and Shivannagudem projects to supply irrigation water to your agricultural fields. Instead of supporting the cause, the BJP government at the Centre is trying to delay construction of these projects by not finalising Telangana’s share in Krishna River waters,” the Minister added.

Rama Rao cautioned farmers that the Narendra Modi government was trying to privatise electricity transmission and distribution for the benefit of its crony capitalist friends. He warned that once the transmission and distribution companies are privatised, the electricity charges will surge on the lines of petrol and cooking gas prices. If the BJP succeeds in its efforts, he said prepaid electricity meters will be fixed at the agricultural pump sets where power will be provided only upon paying bills in advance.

“The TRS (BRS) and Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao are fighting against these anti-farmer policies of the Central government which should be unequavocally opposed. The vote for the BJP candidate indicates that people support the anti-farmer policies of the BJP candidate. Hence, there is an urgent need for farmers to support the TRS candidate in the Munugode by-poll, to strengthen the TRS,” he said.