Farmers in the State are in distress with chilli, turmeric and red jowar prices crashing to an all-time low and the ruling TRS party busy with elections and encouraging defections, alleged former minister and senior Congress leader Ponnala Lakshmaiah.
The State government did not spend anything during the past four years on market intervention and even failed to secure the 50 per cent fund for the purpose given by the Centre. Neither did the State government mention about market intervention fund in its budget nor did it make any efforts to secure help from Central government, he said.
Compensation denied
Mr. Ponnala Lakshmaiah told The Hindu that the State government also failed to notify the drought-hit mandals. The farmers who suffered serious loss on account of drought and sudden hailstorm did not get any compensation as promised by the State government. “The State government that harped on Mission Kakatiya should explain why the groundwater levels have depleted so low,” he sought to know.
The interest accrued on loan waiver was not cleared by the State government and as a result the farmers are not getting fresh farm loans. “The plight of tenant farmers and podu farmers who do not get any Rythu Bandhu-like assistance is pathetic. Nearly 30 per cent of beneficiaries did not get Rythu Bandhu,” Mr Lakshmaiah pointed out.
The TRS that came to power on the plank of self-respect of the people has dealt a death blow to the self-respect of farmers and every section of the society in Telangana.
It is an irony that the party that promised to uphold the sentiments of people deliberately neglects the same, bringing back the age-old feudal system once again and forcing it upon the beleaguered people of Telangana, he said.
Referring to the ensuing Parliament elections, Mr Ponnala Lakshmaiah said the Congress party is still a force to reckon with. The setbacks in elections were a temporary phenomenon, but the party is strong enough to give tough fight to the ruling TRS party in Telangana State.
