Former Minister and TDP leader Ch. Ayyanna Patrudu has alleged that the YSR Congress Party government has miserably failed in reaching out to the farmers, whose crops are damaged by cyclone Nivar.
In a video statement, released to the media on Sunday, Mr. Ayyanna Patrudu said that crops in thousands of acres were destroyed by the cyclone in the State but none of the Ministers and MLAs had gone to meet the farmers.
Referring to the ‘Nadu – Nedu’ programme of the government, he said it was time people compared the administration of Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy with that of former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu.
Saying that cyclones had occurred even during the rule of Mr. Naidu, the TDP leader recalled as to how the former Chief Minister had supervised the field-level operations during the Hudhud cyclone. Now, the victims were shifted to the relief camps but the government was not bothered about providing them food and other basic amenities, he alleged. Ridiculing the announcement of the Chief Minister that ₹500 would be given to each victim at the relief camps, he wondered what a person would get with that amount in these days of skyrocketing prices of essential commodities.
He also found fault with the fixation of ₹6,500 an acre as compensation to the farmers and said it was an indication of the lack of knowledge of agriculture on the part of the Chief Minister and most of his Cabinet colleagues.
Recalling the election promise of Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy that he would pay the crop insurance premium on behalf of the farmers, Mr. Ayyanna Patrudu sought a clarification either from the Chief Minister or Agriculture Minister K. Kannababu, on whether the insurance premium was paid by the government.
The TDP leader alleged that Mr. Jagan was confining himself to activities in Kadapa district, forgetting that he was the Chief Minister. Similarly, Mr. Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy was confining himself to Chittoor, while the remaining districts in the State were being neglected.
Procurement centres
Alleging that paddy procurement centres were not to be seen, he sought their opening in all villages so that farmers need not carry the discoloured paddy and other farm produce over long distances to sell them.
While appealing to the government to render justice to farmers, Mr. Ayyanna Patrudu called upon leaders of farmer associations to pressurise the government for a fair deal to the food producers.
