HYDERABAD: Senior Congress leader and MLC T. Jeevan Reddy has expressed worry about farm sector as well as farmers, stating that both central and state governments are being negligent about their welfare.
Addressing a press conference at the media point in Assembly premises here on Monday, he said farmers have lost minimum support price for their products under the new agricultural laws enacted by the Centre.
Jeevan Reddy pointed out that Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao had earlier opposed the recently enacted agricultural laws by the Central government. But after his Delhi visit, he has taken a U-turn and is now praising Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s policies.
The MLC accused the Chief Minister of saying the government will bear the loss suffered by agriculture markets in the state, while favouring rice millers. He demanded that the state government announce minimum support price for fine quality rice (sanna vadlu), as promised by Chief Minister, even before farmers cultivate fine quality paddy.
Jeevan Reddy charged the state government with weakening the horticulture sector, with 450 horticulture extension officers being sacked even though no salaries had been paid to them. He pointed out that Rs 2,000 crore funds from the Central government could not be received by the state government, as the latter did not agree to grant of Rs 500 crore to the department.
The MLC wanted BJP MP D. Arvind to bring pressure on the Central government for announcing minimum support price (MSP) for turmeric and setting up the Turmeric Board in Nizamabad. He announced that he will be sitting on one-day hunger strike in support of turmeric farmers seeking MSP and Turmeric Board.
