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Congress guns for Pocharam’s scalp
The Congress demanded the resignation of State Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy following his confession that he was unable to handle the ongoing agrarian crisis.
Hyderabad: The Congress demanded the resignation of State Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy following his confession that he was unable to handle the ongoing agrarian crisis. Addressing a press conference on Tuesday, Leader of Opposition in Legislative Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir said that the Minister himself admitted that he was unable to control the bankers, seed or fertilizer companies and other issues related to farmers.
- Says Pocharam has to go following admission of helplessness
- Accuses government of betraying farmers
- Says CM selling ‘Bangaru Telangana’ on false promises
"Almost 70% of Telangana's population is directly or indirectly dependent on agriculture. Farmers have already lost four crop seasons and they have no money to take up cultivation in the ongoing Kharif season. The debt-ridden farmers are being denied fresh loans by almost all banks.
Instead of clearing their entire dues under Rs 1 lakh crop loan waiver scheme, the Government has split the payment of third installment of Rs 4,250 crore into four parts and cleared only 12.5% of the amount. This is an insult to farmers," said Shabbir Ali.
He questioned the reluctance of the government to clear the loans of the farmers when it could afford to spend huge amounts on irrigation, water grid project and other schemes. "Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao has kept over Rs 4,500 crore under his special fund.
But he is reluctant to make farmers free from debts by clearing off their loans," he said while demanding that the entire dues of crop loan waiver scheme should be released 'without an hour’s delay'. The Congress leader held that the government was trying to run away from its responsibilities and leave the farmers to their fate.
"If the agriculture Minister is feeling so helpless, then he should resign from his post," said Shabbir Ali. He also demanded input subsidy, subsidised seeds and fertilizers and other assistance to farmers to ensure that they reap a profitable Khariff season.
Deputy CLP leader Ponguleti Sudhakar Reddy asked TRS leaders and KCR to do a serious introspection on how they mishandled issues concerning public health, education and agriculture.He said KCR was trying to screen the 'Bangaru Telangana' movie based on false promises and hopes.
He said KCR should realize that Telangana was very vast and not confined to Yerravelli. At another press conference in Gandhi Bhavan, TPCC chief N Uttam Kumar Reddy took exception to the agriculture Minister's contention that the State government was not responsible for the supply of spurious seeds in Telangana.
He alleged that the Chief Minister was betraying farmers on the loan waiver issue and demanded that the government immediately release funds earmarked under the third installment. He accused the government of diverting funds provided by the Central government for drought-relief to other activities.
