Andhra Pradesh

Naidu promises farm loan waiver

Photo: Mohd. Arif

Campaigning for farmers: TDP president N. Chandrababu Naidu with polit bureau member T. Devender Goud and other party leaders staging dharna in Medak on Sunday. –

Sangareddy: Telugu Desam Party president N. Chandrababu Naidu announced that if voted to power he would waive loans taken by farmers from commercial banks in addition to that of Cooperative banks. He was addressing a “Maha Dharna” organised in front of the Medak collectorate here on Sunday demanding better price for sugarcane. Criticising the Chief Minister for seeking only input subsidy for troubled farmers he said, “Even though Prime Minister Manmohan Singh agreed that debts has forced farmers to commit suicide and was ready to announce a package, Mr. Rajsekhara Reddy seeks only an input subsidy of Rs. 50,00”. He demanded waiver of all kinds of farm loans and provision of input subsidy for the farmers of the State.

Patting the back of the United National Progressive Alliance (UNPA) for forcing the Commission for Agricultural Costs and Prices to announce MSP for paddy, Mr. Naidu said that he would not rest till the government agrees to implement the recommendations in toto. However, he described the effort of the State Government in announcing a MSP of Rs. 1,100 per metric tonne of sugarcane coinciding with TDP’s maha dharna as mischievous. He demanded a minimum supportive price of Rs. 1,800 per MT of sugarcane or interim relief of Rs. 1,250 per MT. He called upon the farmers to be ready to go to jail fighting, if government fails to accept the demanded price.

Singur water for Medak

He alleged that the enlarged budgetary allocations for irrigation and housing are meant to milk commission from the contractors. He assured farmers that the TDP, if voted to power, would complete the third phase of Krishna river water project to Hyderabad and restrict Singur water entirely for the drinking and irrigation needs of the district.

Unlike the impressive response to Eruvaka programme in December last, the party’s Mahadharna failed to evove good response from farmers. Even though the party announced that several thousands of farmers would attend the dharna, very few turned out much to the disappointment of the organisers. The Dharna which was expected to begin at 11 a.m., started at 2 p.m. for want of crowd. Party district level leaders said that vehicles were arranged from Zaheerabad, Ramayampet, Gajwel and Medak for the farmers but very few turned up for the dharna.

On the other hand, the dais was teeming with leaders that included polit bureau members Devender Goud and Nagam Janardhan Reddy, general secretary Kadiam Srihari and other leaders were present.

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