Irrigation Minister T Harish Rao today alleged that the Centre was not coming forward to rescue the distressed cotton farmers in the Telangana State. He visited Adilabad market yard today along with ministers Indrakaran Reddy and Jogu Ramanna.
Speaking on the occasion, Harish Rao accused the officials of Cotton Corporation of India of negligence in procuring cotton from the farmers. He expressed displeasure over the officials for denying minimum support price to the cotton being procured from the farmers.
Harish made these remarks when Union Minister M Venkaiah Naidu asked the CCI officials to purchase last kilogram of cotton from the farmers. He also demanded that the Centre ensure that the farmers get better price for their cotton, irrespective of moisture content. “We have already appealed to the Centre to do so in future”, the minister stated. We will pressurize the Centre and meet Union Agriculture minister to procure all the cotton at reasonable price” he said. He also said they were providing better price for the paddy and maize being purchased by Markfed. (NSS)