Kodumur: The Congress Party has urged the Andhra Pradesh government to immediately announce a compensation of Rs 30,000 per acre for farmers who suffered heavy crop losses due to recent unseasonal rains in Kurnool district.

On Thursday, Kodumur Congress in-charge Anantha Ratnam Madiga, along with INTUC state president S.M. Khadri, Kurnool City Congress president Sheikh Jilani Basha, and local leaders, visited rain-damaged fields at Budidapadu village in Gudur mandal. The inspection was organised under the leadership of Gudur Mandal Congress president Srinivas Yadav.

Addressing the media, Anantha Ratnam Madiga said incessant rains over the past fortnight had damaged onion, cotton, paddy, and maize crops across the district. Farmers, who had raised crops by borrowing heavily, were left distressed as their investment and harvest were washed away. He appealed to Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu and the district administration to ensure immediate relief by disbursing compensation.

Khadri warned that if the government failed to respond, the Congress would mobilise farmers across the state for protest demonstrations. Supporting the demand, Sheikh Jilani Basha remarked that the rains had “broken the backbone of farmers” and urged the government to extend timely support. Several affected farmers from Budidapadu also participated in the programme.