Cong neglecting farmers in State : BJP leader

Khammam/Kamareddy: The BJP Kisan Morcha Telangana president, Kondapalli Sridhar Reddy, on Sunday lashed out at the Congress-led State government, accusing it of neglecting the interests of farmers by failing to implement the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). He said the non-implementation of the scheme has turned into a curse for farmers affected by heavy rains and floods across the State.

Sridhar Reddy toured several flood-hit villages in Bhikkanur mandal of Kamareddy district, including Rameshwarapalli, Anthampalli, and Lakshmidevipalli, accompanied by local BJP leaders and Kisan Morcha members.

During his visit, he inspected submerged agricultural fields and interacted with farmers, many of whom broke down in tears, expressing anguish over the damage to their crops and sand-laden fields rendered unfit for cultivation.

He alleged that, despite the large-scale crop damage, neither agricultural officers nor revenue officials had visited the villages to assess losses or record them for compensation.

Speaking to the media, Sridhar Reddy said, “The state government is acting with gross negligence toward farmers. Just like the previous KCR-led BRS government, the current Revanth Reddy-led Congress regime has refused to implement the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, denying farmers the rightful insurance coverage during such disasters. If the scheme had been in force, farmers would have automatically received compensation from insurance companies without waiting endlessly for state relief.”

He held the Congress government responsible for the current plight of farmers and demanded that an immediate enumeration of crop losses be carried out jointly by agriculture and revenue officials. He further demanded a compensation of Rs 50,000 per acre for affected farmers.

In view of the large amounts of sand deposits that have rendered farmlands uncultivable, Sridhar Reddy also demanded that the government launch urgent sand removal operations and assist farmers in rehabilitating their fields.

Meanwhile, BJP Kamareddy district president Neelam Raju criticised the Congress leaders for being confined to political rhetoric while farmers suffer. He called for a comprehensive action plan and a special package for Kamareddy district, which he said has suffered unprecedented damage due to torrential rains and floods.