CPI(M) MLA of Miryalaguda Julakanti Ranga Reddy had embarked on an indefinite hunger strike in Miryalaguda on Saturday demanding immediate procurement of Nellore Samba Masuri (NLR 34449) variety of paddy by the government procurement agencies at the minimum support price from the farmers.
Mr. Ranga Reddy had commenced the stir along with three other party cadres including the Vemulapalli mandal parishad president Bhaskar in front of the agriculture market yard in Miryalaguda on Saturday.
Mr. Reddy visited the market yard and enquired about the procurement of paddy before starting the indefinite fast.
‘In distress'
Speaking on the occasion, he deplored that the farmers, who cultivated NLR 34449 variety of paddy as per the encouragement given by the agriculture scientists and officials, were now deprived of MSP for their agriculture produce.
They are forced to dispose off the NLR 34449 paddy below the MSP in distress due to the apathy of the government agencies concerned, he alleged and deplored that the unwillingness of the millers to purchase the NLR 34449 variety of paddy on the ground that some of the grains contained black spots left the farmers in the lurch.
“I have raised the issue twice in the Assembly and also brought the matter to the notice of the Minister concerned,” he said adding that the GO issued by the government in this regard failed to resolve the problem faced by the farmers.
“I had embarked on the indefinite fast as a last resort to bail out the farmers from the present crisis and ensure them MSP for their agriculture produce,” he said.
CPI (M) district secretary Nandyala Narasimha Reddy said that rallies would be organised under the aegis of the Rythu Sangham in support of the indefinite stir to mount pressure on the government initiate urgent steps for speedy procurement of NLR 34449 paddy at MSP from the paddy cultivators.
