Minister for Municipal Administration & Urban Development KT Rama Rao today said the backward Mahabubnagar district was worst affected during the previous Congress regime. Now the Congress was mischievously trying to create differences between the land owners and tenant farmers with regard to Rythu Bandhu scheme, he said.
Reminding that his family had lost their lands some time ago, KTR pointed out that Congress leaders like K Jana Reddy, Utham Kumar Reddy, DK Aruna and others did not lose their lands. KTR has challenged Congress leaders to agitate against the Rythu Bandu scheme if they have guts.
Speaking at a Rythu Bandhu program of cheques and passbooks distribution at Bhootpur in Mahabubnagar district, along with MP Jithender Reddy, KTR said the people of Palamur district faced the brunt of not receiving water despite Krishna River flowing by their side. He also flayed the Congress leaders for resorting to mud-slinging at the government for political mileage. He said, “They not only failed to help the farmers and construct irrigation projects during their regime, they were now criticizing the welfare program for the farm community.
KTR said the TRS government irrigated seven lakh acres in Mahbubnagar district so far and will irrigate another seven lakh acres in the near future. He said after completion of Karvena reservoir works, another 60,000 acres in Bhootpur will be irrigated. Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao was determined to change the fate of the farmers for better by providing them all succor in time, he said.
Ridiculing the comments of the Congress and the BJP on the cheques distribution, the minister asked as to why they were coming in the way of farmers’ progress. “Our Chief Minister has nurtured an idea of giving cheques to farmers like no other leader in the country has ever thought of doing so towards crop investment for the farmers. Having understood the farmers’ problems, KCR launched the crop investment scheme and the farmers coordination panel will unite the farmers to get MSP and benefits, he remarked. The State government will urge the Centre to link agriculture to NREGA and 25% hike in MSP to farm produce. (NSS)