BJP State president Somu Veerraju has said the government has failed in eliminating middlemen in the agriculture sector and in procuring paddy in time from farmers at remunerative prices. The government could not match its words with deeds when it comes to giving subsidy to farmers under the mechanisation schemes and implementing the micro-irrigation project, he has added.
Addressing mediapersons here on Thursday, Mr. Veerraju said the government targeted to purchase 45 lakh tonnes of paddy this year but could procure only 21 lakh costing ₹3,990 crore. Even payments for the grains purchased were getting delayed. Farmers were resorting to distress sale for various compelling reasons, he said.
The farmers in Rayalaseema who were largely dependent on micro-irrigation were left in the lurch as the government could not supply water to even a single acre in the last two years. Bills raised by companies which supplied the micro-irrigation equipment had been pending for more than two years, he said.
‘Undue credit’
Mr. Veerraju objected to the State government portraying the housing project taken up under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana (PMAY) as its own scheme. He insisted that it was a Central scheme for which the State was taking undue credit.
The Central government was giving a subsidy of ₹1.80 lakh per unit under PMAY. “Unfortunately, the State government named the project as YSR Jagananna Colonies devoid of the images of the Prime Minister on the publicity material. If the PM’s photos are not displayed, then the BJP will do it,” he warned.
A sizeable chunk of the funds required for the construction of medical colleges was being given by the Central government but it was also claimed to be of the State’s own. Sixty percent of the cost of construction of three medical colleges was being borne by the Centre while the A.P. BJP was striving to mobilise the maximum funds for seven more colleges, Mr. Veerraju added.
