Date:10/09/2006 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2006/09/10/stories/2006091010910400.htm

Andhra Pradesh - Hyderabad

YSR makes light of TRS leaders' remarks

Special Correspondent

Chief Minister says he would ignore the speeches

HYDERABAD: Chief Minister Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy has said that he did not give any significance to remarks made by the Telangana Rashtra Samiti leaders at the Siddipet `Sankharavam' meeting on Friday.

Asked for his comments on the meeting, Dr. Reddy said on the sidelines of a function at the Agricultural University here on Saturday that no party could come between him and farmers, as the Government was taking all steps to help those in distress. Referring to the `provocative' speeches, the Chief Minister said he would rather ignore such remarks.

Dr. Reddy said that he had urged Union Agriculture Minister Sharad Pawar to bail out the State's farmers in distress. The Government had brought to his notice the fact that a three-year moratorium on crop loans had been given. But ryots who had obtained loans from cooperative banks were suffering as the interest was clubbed with the actual loan.

"We want the Centre to look into these problems and help farmers," he said, pointing out that a special package for them would bring relief to the sector. He said he had urged the Centre to take steps to ensure that shrimp farmers got insurance cover so as to avail of institutional loans.