Naidu pledges to waive farm loans

Rajahmundry: ‘I will sign the file of waiving agriculture loans first, if Telugu Desam is voted power’, party president N Chandrababu Naidu asserted here on Monday after arriving to visit cyclone-affected areas. He addressed a press conference at Rajahmundry airport before commencing the tour.

Naidu lamented that ‘Helen’ cyclone had caused havoc in Krishna and the Godavari districts, causing a damage of Rs 1,650 crore, as per preliminary estimates. He said 75 lakh coconut trees were uprooted and paddy in 15-20 lakh acres was destroyed. Banana and vegetable plantations were damaged in nearly one lakh acres.

He alleged that the Government did not compensate farmers for the damage caused by ‘Nilam’ and ‘Phailin’ cyclones that it did not seem serious about the loss this time too. He faulted the State for failing to provide a comprehensive report to the Central teams. ‘It is the Government’s responsibility to get maximum assistance from the Centre, by providing them a comprehensive report’. Naidu accused the official machinery of failure due to lack of proper government directives. He said the visit was to warn and put pressure on the administration.

He demanded compensation of Rs 5 lakh for each loss of life, 50 kg rice along with five liters of kerosene and Rs 5,000 for each family, relief of Rs 10,000 per acre (paddy), Rs 20,000 (commercial crop), Rs 5,000 (coconut tree) and Rs 20,000 each for an affected fisherman and a handloom weaver.

He blasted the Seemandhra Congress leaders for ‘begging’ for packages. The Union Cabinet, CWC and GoM were making contradictory statements on the State’s bifurcation. He faulted GoM for not visiting the State to know the ground realities. Naidu accused the Congress of playing with people’s sentiments in both regions and said the Seemandhra people were ‘in panic’. He vowed to fight for equal justice to both regions.

He charged Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy with participating in ‘Rachabanda’ when ‘Helen’ ravaged the coastal districts, after visiting the cyclone-hit Konaseema and interacting with farmers. He recalled bringing the Secretariat to the district during the devastating hurricane in 1996 to assist the victims. He demanded inclusion of fishermen’s community in ST list.

He arrived here at 10.30 am and went to Konaseema, inspected damaged banana plantations at Vagurthivaripalem and visited damaged paddy fields in Munganda, Ambajipeta and Anathavaram. He examined damaged houses in Gunnepalli Agraharam and interacted with farmers.

At Cheyyeru Naidu handed over assistance of Rs 2,000 each for a damaged house. He visited fishermen’s villages Katrenikona and Pallam, Razole, N Kothapalli, Suvarlapeta, Vannechintalapudi and Gannavaram. He stayed at Dindi resort for the night.