The YSR Congress has demanded that the State government clear all the dues of farmers, including input subsidy, and take steps to ensure that loans obtained by them are rescheduled.
YSRC MLA G. Srikanth Reddy expressed concern over deficit rainfall plunging the farm sector into distress. Shortage of rainfall had a negative impact on the farmers who opted for paddy and groundnut. He wanted the government to shun its “anti-farmer” attitude and come to the rescue of the farmers who were faced with severe hardship.
He said though the extent of sown area had increased considerably, the deficit rainfall had dealt a severe blow to farmers. He recalled how the then Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy mounted pressure on the Centre and effectively secured waiver of loans. Of the 31 districts benefited under the loan waiver scheme, 16 districts were from Andhra Pradesh alone.
He alleged that Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu was allotting more time and money for publicity and was not taking steps to mitigate the farmers’ plight.
At a separate press conference, party leader T. Prakash Reddy suggested to the government to try to scale down the cost of irrigation projects by adopting economic models rather than the ones that were aimed at benefiting contractors.
Projects on Handri-Neeva should be taken up in consultation with neighbouring Karnataka and steps should also be initiated to secure water from Upper Bhadra project that could save huge amount.
