The Centre is ready to extend its support to rescue chilli farmers with a suitable price for their produce under market intervention scheme (MIS) if the State Government forwards a proposal, Union Minister of State for Labour and Employment Bandaru Dattatreya said.
“As soon as I return to New Delhi on Monday I will meet Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and request him to consider implementation of MIS in respect of chilli,” he said addressing media here on Sunday. “Narendra Modi Government has given ₹750 crore to Telangana from Price Stabilization Fund for the purchase of toor (redgram) and the State government has spent ₹736 crore,” he said.
He faulted the TRS for its statement that announcing minimum support price for chilli was the responsibility of Centre and said that had the proposals been sent to it the Centre would have taken the decision. State government delayed sending proposals to the Centre, he said.
Mr. Dattatreya said that the BJP-led NDA Government was committed to doubling the income of farmers by 2022 and was not indulging in politics in extending assistance to them. Prime Minister Fasal Yojna was an excellent scheme, and the State government needs to enlighten farmers on its benefits, he said.
Criticising that in the three years of TRS rule not a single major industry arrived in the State and worse the existing ones like Nizam Sugar Factory at Bodhan was closed down, he said. He accused the TRS leadership of failing to keep its electoral promise of reopening NSF within 100 days of its coming to power.
The Union Minister said efforts were on to reopen defunct cement factory in Adilabad district and for which he was holding talks with Union Ministers Nithin Gadkari and Ananth Geethe. He also said that the Centre was chalking out a plan to encourage young entrepreneurs to set up units at Lakkampally SEZ (mega foodpark) in Nandipet mandal by extending loans at lower bank rates.
