Naidu launches 'Rythu Poru' in Anantapur

Telugu Desam Party president N Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday stated that the State Government has totally failed to help the drought affected farmers in the State.

Talking to media persons after launching Rythu Poru Bata at CC Kotha Kota in Puttaparthi mandal, the TDP president slammed the government for not responding to farmers' woes despite farmers declaring `Crop Holiday’ in some districts. He said that Rythu Poru Bata has been launched to highlight the farmers' grievances. He exhorted the farmers to start mass agitation against the indifferent attitude of the government.

The TDP president said that instead of taking immediate measures to protect the interests of farmers the government failed wasted precious time by appointing various committees and seeking reports from the Collectors. However, he alleged that the government did not implementing the recommendations made by those committees. He recalled that the TDP government launched Neeru-Meeru, watershed schemes, crop insurance and input subsidy for groundnut during its regime to help the farmers’ community.

Naidu demanded that the government release Rs 10,000 per acre for crop damage due to withering, sanction interest-free loans, reschedule loans, increase subsidy on seeds and fertilizers and implement Swaminathan Committee's recommendation for farmers' uplift. He said the TDP would continue its struggle until farmers get justice.

Earlier, Naidu was accorded grand reception at the Kodikonda check post by the TDP leaders of the district when he arrived this morning. He then proceeded for a 17-kilometres walk from CC Kotha Kota to Kotha Cheruvu. En route he interacted with farmers on various issues including remunerative prices for their products, crop loss due to calamities and power cuts, fertilsier and seeds shortages that hampered crops and their livelihood in the current Kharif season.