Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy today said the government would pay Rs 4000 per acre for single crop from next year to the farmers to rid them of farm loans.
Treasury benches and the Opposition were involved in heated exchange of words during question hour. The Congress members raised their voice when the House took up short discussion on crops, MSP, cotton and welfare. Stating that he was also a farmer of Nizamsagar ayacut, Srinivas Reddy said they will give waters for two crops in the State and wash feet of the farmers. He charged the Congress with frequently trying to stall the proceedings. He criticized the Opposition party for trying to malign the image of the government on the crop loan waiver though the previous governments failed to help the farm activity.
“We will pay Rs 4000 to the farmers to help them”, he said, adding that the latter need power supply, water for irrigation, MSP for produce and financial assistance. “We are providing all these to the farmers”, he said. Credit of resolving power problem in six months goes to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, he said. “We are filling 1,520 posts in Agriculture Department and appoint one extension officer for 5,000 acres each to help selected crops to get better yield. By waiving of Rs 17,000 crore, the TRS Government relieved 35.30 lakh farmers in the State, the minister said. He also said Rs 1 lakh loans new or old offered to the farmers were cancelled. Reddy alleged that the Opposition was disturbing the House though the government was for offering interest for crop loans. (NSS)