Telugu Desam national general secretary Nara Lokesh on Friday said farmers in over 11 districts in the State suffered enormous crop loss due to recent floods but the Jagan Mohan Reddy government was indifferent to their problems.
At a press conference, he said during his visit to the flood-hit areas in five districts, farmers informed him that only 10% to 15% of their damaged crop was being enumerated. He said the floods caused heavy damage to crops in over 215 mandals and destroyed over 10,000 houses.
Demanding 100 % enumeration of the damaged crop, he said a compensation of ₹25,000 per acre should be paid to the affected farmers. He said Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy had promised to usher in 'Rythu Rajyam' before 2019 elections but was now indifferent to their problems.
Referring to what he called "one of Mr. Jagan's pet programmes" Rythu Bharosa, the TDP general secretary said the government had let down the farmers who were paid far less than what was promised to them and lakhs of farmers were left out of the scheme.
Citing heavy damage to the paddy, groundnut, maize, turmeric and other crops, he said groundnut was damaged in over 10 lakh acres but the farmers were yet to receive any help.
Referring to the promise of zero interest loans to the tune of ₹3,500 crore to the farmers and the GO pertaining to the grant of ₹100 crore of it, Mr. Lokesh said it was not yet implemented. The price stabilisation fund of ₹ 3,000 crore to ensure remunerative prices to farmers was yet another sham, he alleged.
Mr. Lokesh demanded that the Chief Minister and DGP Goutam Sawang tender an unconditional apology to the Dalit farmers who were arrested and handcuffed for no fault of theirs.
Funds for Polavaram
The TDP leader said the Chief Minister owed an explanation to the people in the State as to why his 22 MPs had been extending unconditional support to the Bills tabled by the BJP-led NDA government at Centre without making an attempt to achieve the promises made in the AP Reorganisation Act.
He said Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy should spell out why he was unable to get funds sanctioned for Polavaram project and insist on the Special Category Status.
He alleged that the Chief Minister had been making rounds to Delhi using public money to protect his own interests.
