BJP seeks Rs 10,000 cr input subsidy for ryots

Hyderabad: Flaying Kiran Kumar Reddy-led Congress government for neglecting farmers hit by heavy rains recently, the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) demanded that the Centre release Rs 10,000 crore as input subsidy to bail out State farmers.

The saffron party also demanded scientific assessment of crop damage to arrive at the exact figure of losses suffered by the agricultural community. Kishan Reddy-led BJP delegation comprising Bandaru Dattatreya, Dr K Laxman, Endala Laxminarayana, Prakash Reddy, Sogala Kumar, Goli Madhusudhan Reddy and others met Governor E S L Narsimhan and submitted a memorandum to this effect.

BJP leaders expressed their displeasure over the way the State government neglected the distressed farmers. They also explained him about Union government’s step-motherly treatment in release of relief packages to the State in the last 10 years. While the State sought a financial help of Rs 45,000 crore for various natural calamities and severe drought conditions, the amount given was a meager Rs 2,500 crore, BJP leaders stressed.

The district-wise crop losses assessment report submitted to the Centre by the State government machinery was far from reality. In most districts, only crops in fields were calculated but not those harvested and kept at market yards.

The Central team should be advised to visit even market yards to assess losses, BJP leaders appealed to the Governor. The list of demands put forward by the saffron party include crop loans waiver, input subsidy at the rate of Rs 15,000 per acre irrespective of percentage of crop loss, supply of seeds and fertilizers with 90 percent subsidy for Rabi crop.

Talking to reporters later, Kishan Reddy said that they submitted the governor details about damage of 34 lakh acres in 18 districts due to heavy rains that lashed the State recently.