Sharmila asks farmers not to commit suicide

Gudem Madhavaram (Krishna): YSR Congress leader YS Sharmila asked the tenant farmers not to commit suicide as they were not getting remunerative prices for the produce. Sharmila interacted with the farmers and tenant farmers here on Wednesday as part of her Maro Praja Prasthanam. The farmers and the tenant farmers briefed the price difference for different crops during the period of late Dr YS Rajasekhara Reddy and now. They told her that the prices had come down for every product in the market with the government not taking initiative and the middle men playing an active role. They alleged that the government had allowed the market to be exploited by the middle men. They said that any of the government departments were not intervening to help the farmers as was done in the past during tenure of Dr Rajasekhara Reddy. The farmers also explained to her that they have lost the production also due to the non-availability of power to the farm sector. They said that they had invested heavily on every crop because of the increased prices, including the wages, but the yield had come down and the remunerative prices were eluding. The tenant farmers told the YSR Congress leader that they were not being taken into account in providing compensation and insurance for crop loss. They said that the officials were making tall claims about the government granting loan eligibility cards for the tenant farmers, but in reality most of them were not given the cards. Responding to their woes, Sharmila asked people not to commit suicide in depression due to crop loss and absence of the remunerative price for their produce. She said that Dr Rajasekhara Reddy had implemented insurance and other benefits for the farmers during his regime. She further said that Jaganmohan Reddy was committed to continue the welfare schemes and would restore them all after he assumes charge as the Chief Minister of the State after the 2014 elections.