Kakinada, November 08: Praja Rajyam Party (PRP) president K Chiranjeevi has demanded the government to extend all subsidies given to other farmers to tenant farmers too.
Touring V Krishnarayapuram in Samarlakota mandal, Jelluru, Fakruddin Palem and Gollaprolu villages in Pithapuram mandal, Sarpvavaram and Cheediga villages in Kakinada rural mandal during his East Godavari district tour here on Sunday, he inspected water tanks, paddy fields and canals.
Chiranjeevi didn’t enter the fields but had a look at the damaged crop from the main road. Farmers showed him samples of rotten crop as the fields remained water-logged for several days.
The PRP leader said the government should give priority to tenant farmers and extend them 100 per cent input subsidy. “Government seems to be least bothered about them. It should give them loans, supply seeds and fertiliser besides ensuring minimum support price to their produce.”
He inspected Sarpavaram village which was completely inundated in rain water. “Farmers are facing difficulty in 12 districts. If the government doesn’t act immediately, troubles of farmers would translate into heavy losses for the government,” he warned, adding that PRP always supported the cause of tenant farmers.
Observing that paddy fields were getting inundated due to encroachments on canals and drains, he demanded the government to immediately remove these encroachments. The government did not remove the encroachments despite being reminded repeatedly, he said, adding that farmers in East Godavari district bore the brunt of heavy rain.
PRP district president Jyothula Nehru, MLAs Vanga Geetha, Kursala Kanna Babu, P Gandhi Mohan and other local leaders accompanied the PRP president during the tour.
–Agencies