Pulivendula (YSR Kadapa district): YSRCP president Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday criticised the NDA coalition government in the state for allegedly neglecting farmers and demanded immediate compensation for losses they suffered due to unseasonal rains.

After inspecting damaged banana crops at Thatireddypalli village in YSR Kadapa district, Jagan Mohan Reddy said that farmers were in distress. “The coalition government has no concern for farmers who lost their standing crops due to gale and unseasonal rains,” he told reporters.

The former chief minister demanded immediate compensation and relief, observing that the erstwhile YSCRP government had set up an integrated cold storages worth Rs 25 crore but the current government failed to operationalise it.

This facility with a storage capacity of 500 tonne is meant to procure farmers’ produce, he said, noting that free crop insurance was the right of farmers during their term and accused the TDP-led NDA alliance government of abolishing it.

According to the YSRCP chief, the state government failed to procure paddy, chilli and other millet crops, exhibiting an ‘anti-farmer stance’.

He said that input subsidies and insurance must be provided for the crops damaged in 4,000 acre and assured farmers that his party would pressure the government for compensation.

Jagan Mohan Reddy also promised that if YSCRP returns to power, pending amounts would be credited to farmers’ accounts.