Karimnagar: Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President Capt. N. Uttam Kumar Reddy expressed deep concern over farmers not having access to their own money kept in bank accounts to invest the same in Kharif season.
Addressing a public meeting in Manukondur of Karimnagar district on Sunday evening, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the agriculture sector has been in a state of neglect under the rule of Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao.
“Farmers had lost three consecutive crops due to official negligence and drought conditions. When they had a significantly better crop in last Rabi season, they failed to get remunerative prices for their produce. Now, their money is locked up in various banks and they are being denied access to cash.
This will badly affect the output of Kharif season and farmers will suffer irreparable damage,” he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said that BJP-led NDA Government at the Centre was not listening to the grievances and appeals of Telangana farmers for availability of required cash in the commercial and rural banks.
TRS Government in the State has failed miserably in pressuring the Centre to provide cash and credit facility to farmers. “KCR does not miss any occasion to shower praises on PM Modi, he had no courage to pull up the Centre for not providing required cash to farmers.
He is living in his own imaginary world where farmers are a non-entity. He is simply not concerned about the problems being faced by farmers. He failed to wake up from his slumber even after suicide by more than 3,000 farmers during the last three years,” he said
However, the TPCC chief announced that the Congress party would leave no stone unturned to get justice for farming community. He threatened that the Congress party would launch massive agitation if farmers suffer losses in Kharif season due to the negligent attitude of BJP and TRS Governments.
He also slammed KCR for not responding to the flaws in crop loan waiver scheme which were promptly pointed out by the Congress party on multiple occasions. As against the claims of TRS Government of waiving off crop loans, he said there were lakhs of farmers whose fourth instalment was yet to be cleared.
Further, he said that the Chief Minister did not honour the assurance, given on the floor of Assembly, on State Government clearing the interest amount which got accumulated due to delay in clearing crop loan waiver dues.
He announced that after coming to power in 2019, the Congress Government would waive off crop loans up to Rs. 2 lakh in a single take. He said remunerative prices would be assured by giving bonus in addition to the MSP on all crops.
Uttam Kumar Reddy also promised that the next Congress Government would ensure economic empowerment of women by extending financial assistance to Women’s Self Help Groups and other institutions.
He said women’s welfare was completely neglected by the present TRS Government. By not having a single woman in his cabinet, KCR had sent a wrong message on women’s capabilities and talent.
The TPCC Chief appealed to the youth and students to help and support the Congress party win next elections. If voted to power in 2019, he said that the Congress Government would create lakhs of jobs for the youth.
Further, he said all jobless youth would be paid an allowance of Rs. 3,000 per month until they get a job.
The meeting was also addressed by former MP Ponnam Prabhakar and other senior leaders. (INN)