Launching a scathing attack on Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, YSR Congress Party president Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy has said that Mr. Naidu has reneged on the major poll promise of waiving farm loans.
As a result, farmers had to pay more interest on crop loans than the principal sum waived by the government.
“Because of the lopsided farm loan waiver scheme, each farmer ended up with a debt of ₹94,000 which he needs to pay the bank as an interest. Adding to the misery, power bills have doubled in the last three years. While all these things are happening, Mr. Naidu is spreading canards about the growth rate of the State,” Mr. Reddy said while addressing a public meeting at Pedanandipadu village. Striking a chord with farmers in the village, Mr. Reddy said that the minimum support price of all major crops has fallen leading to agrarian distress.
“The State government has been encouraging the middlemen in market yards leaving the farmers in distress. All the welfare schemes have been cornered by the Janmabhoomi committees and even common people have been asked to show their identity to get the benefits of welfare schemes,” he alleged.