Uttam demands compensation for rain-hit farmers

Hyderabad: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Sunday demanded that the State government pay compensation to farmers who lost their crops due to unseasonal rains.

Highlights:

• TPCC President N Uttam Kumar Reddy demands compensation for farmers whose crops suffered damage due to unseasonal rains
• Cotton farmers are hit by not only by rains but also because of failure on the part of the government in ensuring MSP to the produce

Congress leaders, including AICC Secretary R C Khuntia, former Union Minister S Jaipal Reddy, MLAs D K Aruna, G Chinna Reddy, Vamshichand Reddy and A Sampath Kumar, TPCC Vice-President Mallu Ravi, Kisan Congress Chairman Kodanda Reddy and others, visited Udithyal, Nandaram and Gunded villages of Balanagar mandal in Jadcherla constituency in Mahabubnagar district on Sunday. They interacted with the farmers and reviewed the damaged cotton, maize and other crops.

Speaking to media persons later, Uttam Kumar Reddy said cotton was grown on nearly 48 lakh acres across the State this year. However, cotton crops spread over lakhs of acres were damaged due to heavy rains. Similarly, maize crop, which was grown on about 12 lakh acres, also suffered damage. He alleged that the TRS government did not even react to the damage of crops though it caused sufferings to farmers across the State.

Further, he said as against the minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 4,320 a quintal, cotton farmers are being forced to sell their produce for a mere Rs 2,700 a quintal. Likewise, as against the MSP of Rs 1,425, maize is being purchased for not more than Rs 800 per quintal. He said this was being done in active connivance between the officials of State government and middlemen.

Uttam Kumar Reddy demanded that the State government pay compensation of Rs 25,000 per acre to the affected cotton farmers. He also demanded compensation of Rs. 10,000 per acre for maize farmers. He said unseasonal rains had also damaged paddy crops on thousands of acres. Therefore, he demanded that compensation of Rs 15,000 per acre be paid to the affected paddy farmers.

The TPCC chief also slammed the BJP government at the Centre and TRS government in the State for non-payment of insurance claims to the affected farmers.

He said about 7.20 lakh farmers had paid premiums under crop insurance schemes. However, not a single farmer had got any insurance amount so far. Similarly, he said farmers had paid over Rs 1,500 crore towards insurance premium last year.

They too got no compensation despite suffering huge losses due to natural calamities. He said BJP and TRS governments had completely neglected the farm sector and their indifferent attitude has been deepening the crisis for farmers.

Uttam Kumar Reddy said farmers would teach a fitting lesson to both TRS and BJP in next elections.