Save farmers from distress, YSRCP tells Naidu

Demanding the Chandrababu Naidu government to implement its poll promise of waiving all agriculture loans immediately, YSR Congress has said farmers are in distress as the sowing operation has to commence and there is no word from the state on this regard.

“Farmer s are facing unprecedented uncertainty with rainfall playing truant and banker’s refusing to sanction fresh loans and no assurance coming from the Andhra Pradesh government though the sowing operations are due for the kharif,” party spokesperson Ambati Rambabu told reporters here on Saturday.

Lack of rains and State government delaying the loan waiver issue on some pretext or the other has put the farming community in a quandary and we demand that the Chandrababu Naidu government should immediately address to the needs of the farmers by first waiving all agricultural loans.

TDP leaders have been speaking in different voices adding to the woes of the farmers, be it constituting a committee, fixing a ceiling or searching for other escape routes but majority of the people in Seemandhra are dependent on agriculture and the government ignoring their interests will not be tolerated, he said.

Chandrababu Naidu, who once has declared that agriculture is a waste, has changed tune during elections and along with the loan waiver promise has said that he wants to make agriculture more profitable.

“The deeds of TDP government have been otherwise. The MSP has been increased only by RS 50 which shows the scant respect Naidu has towards farmers. During his previous term of nine years he increased the MSP by Rs 170 while YSR in his 5.3 year rule has increased from Rs 500 to Rs 1,000 and the succeeding Congress government has hiked it by Rs 300 which shows that who has more concern towards farmers,” he said.

We demand that the loan waiver should be carried out immediately to all agriculture loans failing which the farming community will be at a loss and recalled that farmers had earlier declared a crop holiday. Incidents of forcible recovery of loans from farmers are also being reported though Chandarbabu Naidu during his electioneering has openly appealed to the people not to pay the dues.

“Any government that deceives the farmers will have to pay a heavy price and TDP should honour its commitment as the agricultural operations are fast approaching,” he added.