Palvai lashes out at KCR, Naidu for neglecting interest of farmers

‘People in two Telugu-speaking states are “cursing” the two Chief Ministers for throwing the administration to the winds’

Hyderabad: Senior Congress leader and Rajya Sabha member Palvai Goverdhan Reddy on Sunday slammed TS and AP Chief Ministers K Chandrashekar Rao and N Chandrababu Naidu for ignoring agriculture sector. Talking to media persons here on Sunday, the Rajya Sabha member accused KCR and Naidu of conducting Godavari Pushkaralu for the sake of publicity and nothing else.

He said the people in both the state were cursing the two Chief Ministers for “encouraging corruption” in their respective states. He also felt that KCR and Naidu had vied with each other for the massive publicity campaign during the Pushkaralu festivities, throwing the governance to the winds.

Despite the prevailing drought situation in the two Telugu-speaking states, the Chief Ministers were least bothered about agriculture sector and no steps were taken for completion of irrigation projects, he charged. There is urgent need for implementation of a plan of action for extending a helping hand to farming community, beside completion of irrigation projects, he suggested.

He flayed the Naidu government for taking up Pattiseema project which was not part of Polavaram project as was stated by the Parliamentary Standing Committee.Though Naidu was going ahead with the Pattiseema project, his Telangana counterpart KCR remained silent, he objected.

“KCR should raise his voice against this project and ensure that the Telangana region was not put at disadvantage by the project,” he said. The Parliamentary Standing Committee expressed the opinion that Pranahitha-Chevella project was not feasible, he said, adding that Maharashtra government’s consent was required for it to be completed.

Merely seeking national status to this project was not correct, he said. Instead of misguiding the people, the government should hold talks with the Maharashtra government on related issues, besides making provision for people who would be displaced by the project. He wondered why KCR was not replying to the Centre’s query as to why the government had not started work on Itchampally project.