Even as chilli farmers are in distress, both the TRS and BJP are accusing each other on the plight of farmers, said TPCC president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy.

He was addressing a public meeting here on Saturday.

The TPCC president said there is no minimum support price, no procurement and no assurance to farmers in the State. “Since the TRS assumed power in Telangana, agriculture is being neglected. As against the tall claims, the farmers continue to suffer,” he said.

The Central Government announced support price for chilli but forgot to issue guidelines and start procuring.

Neither the State nor the Central Government agencies came forward to procure chilli at the price announced by the Centre.

Even as the meeting was in progress, a woman named D. Rama Devi from Gunjedu village near Bhupalpalli, said that her husband committed suicide as his chilli crop inflicted losses.

Mr. Reddy promised to bring it to the notice of officials and ensure justice to her family.

“I want to know from the ruling TRS party -when they claim to have introduced a huge budget - why can’t they allocate more funds for farmers to give bonus or minimum support price”, he sought to know.

Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka and other States have announced bonus to farmers for paddy, dal, chilli and other produce, he said.

The Congress leader termed the Rs. 4,000 per acre assistance from next year as election gimmick. He wanted the State Government to implement the same from this year.

Exuding confidence that the Congress would come back to power in Telangana in 2019, he promised Rs. 2 lakh loan waiver and bonus to farmers.

He promised Rs. 3,000 per month stipend to unemployed youth.

Source: http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-telangana/state-government-neglecting-farmers-uttam-kumar-reddy/article18450591.ece