Narendra Modi govt pursuing anti-farmer policies, criticises Somireddy

Amaravati: Agriculture Minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy came down heavily on Centre for increasing prices of fertilisers and diesel. The Minister said that farmers in Andhra Pradesh alone would suffer a burden of Rs 1,270 crore with the price hike.

Speaking to reporters at Secretariat on Tuesday, Chandramohan Reddy said that farmers across the country had been suffering with the anti- farmer policies of Narendra Modi government. 

He said the Central government increased the price of DAP (fertiliser) to Rs 1,290 from Rs 1,001 and complex fertilisers to Rs 1,275 from Rs 1,123. He also pointed out that the diesel price has been increased from Rs 58 to Rs 75.

The Minister also said that though the Centre announced minimum support price (MSP) for various crops, it was not being implemented. “As the Centre is not purchasing crops for MSP, Andhra Pradesh had to spend Rs 1,909 crore to procure agriculture produce from farmers,” he said.

Criticising AP BJP leaders, the Minister said, it was a surprise that the BJP leaders were trying to teach lessons to AP government while the farmers in the BJP-ruled States were agitating against the anti-farmers’ polices of those governments. 

He also said the State government was implementing loan waiver schemes without any financial support from the Centre and Rs 24,500 crore of farm loans would be waived in the State.

He questioned the silence of Opposition leader Y S Jaganmohan Reddy over the Kadapa Steel Plant issue. “Jagan does not speak about Centre but always makes baseless allegations against the State government,” he said.