TS farmers in deep crisis: TDP MLAs

• Allege 343 farmer suicides since June in Telangana
• Meet Central Ministers and seek help for the State

New Delhi: A delegation of TDP MLAs from Telangana on Thursday took up the issue of the plight of farmers there with Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh, who told them that he would speak to the state's chief minister over the matter. "The TDP delegation said in the meeting that there is a drought-like situation in Telangana and that the state government is not taking any steps to address the concerns of farmers.

"The state government has not submitted a memorandum in this regard or else we would have sent a team to assess the situation in Telangana. I will speak to the Chief Minister on the issue," Singh told reporters after meeting the TDP MLAs here.

In a memorandum submitted to the Union Agriculture Minister, the TDP MLAs alleged that the neglect by the K Chandrasekhar Rao-led TRS government in Telangana had resulted in 343 farmer suicides in the state since June this year.

"Due to a delayed and deficit monsoon, only 16 lakh hectares has been sown as against the normal area of 20.60 lakh hectares.

Of this, a large extent has dried up due to frequent power cuts and farmers have had no choice but to use the failed crop as fodder," the memorandum said.

The delegation called for the opening of more centres by FCI and CCI and also asked for the minimum support price to be ensured for farmers.

In separate memorandum to Power Minister Piyush Goyal, the delegation charged that Telangana was facing an acute electricity crisis due to the inept handling of the power supply mechanism by the state government.

The TDP legislators sought allocation of power through the central grid or appropriate mechanisms to tide over the situation.