ANANTAPUR: Moved by the plight of farmers over raw deal in the TD regime, YSR Congress chief Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said that farmers' welfare will be given priority in party's Navaratnas. During an interactive session with farmers at Marala in Bukkapatnam in the district on Tuesday as part of Praja Sankalpa Yatra, he alleged, “The present government did not take up any irrigation canal so that Srisailam water would reach the the arid region. Chief Minister did not build even a flood-flow canal from Pothireddypadu.”
The leader of Opposition assured that farmers will get nine-hour free power, besides interest–free loans, Rs 12,500 advance ahead of the sowing season apart from setting up of Rs 3,000 crore ‘market stabilisation fund’ to keep a check on price fluctuations to ensure minimum support price. Agriculture and irrigation were always neglected by TD government, Mr Reddy observed and recalled that late Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy initiated to construct Handri-Neeva project to near completion by releasing Rs 6,000 crore.
The YSRC chief pointed, “Not a single crop is getting MSP in the state in addition to rought and floods have taken a heavy toll on agriculture sector. People in large numbers are migrating to other states as they were not getting money under NREGA scheme.”
