Naidu abandons farmers: over 300 suicides, zero compensation in 18 months

Tadepalli, Dec 13: YSRCP General Secretary (Agriculture and Farmer Welfare) M.V.S. Nagi Reddy condemned the coalition government for its utter indifference to escalating farmer suicides in Andhra Pradesh, with at least two farmers taking their lives every week due to unremunerative prices and losses. Speaking to the media at the YSRCP central office in Tadepalli, he stated that over 300 farmers have committed suicide in the 18 months since the coalition assumed power, yet no family has received any compensation, pushing them into abject despair.

Nagi Reddy demanded an immediate hike in ex-gratia beyond Rs. 7 lakh for victim families, direct transfers to beneficiaries' accounts, and disbursement within a week on humanitarian grounds. He called for reviving YSRCP-era schemes like input subsidies, free crop insurance, and zero-interest loans to bolster farmer support.
He contrasted this neglect with past compassion: Late Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy initiated Rs. 2 lakh compensation in 2004, covering prior cases, while Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy's administration provided Rs. 5 lakh each to 474 families from the TDP period and Rs. 7 lakh to 1,320 during its term, totaling Rs. 116 crore for 1,794 families. The current regime, despite promises, has aided none.

Nagi Reddy accused Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of neglecting agriculture, citing low prices for chilli, tobacco, banana, maize, cotton, onion, tomato, sugarcane, and mango. He highlighted nearly 30 suicides in Palnadu, hasty post-mortems in Anantapur to avoid scrutiny, and exclusion of tenant farmers.

Data presented showed superior performance under YSRCP: Rice production averaged 128 lakh metric tonnes versus 121 lakh under prior TDP; food grains reached 161.95 lakh versus 153.95 lakh tonnes, with higher yields per hectare. Welfare included Rs. 34,288 crore under Rythu Bharosa for 53.58 lakh farmers, Rs. 7,802 crore in free insurance, Rs. 3,261 crore input subsidy, and Rs. 2,051 crore zero-interest loans—schemes now discontinued.
Rejecting Naidu's Telangana agriculture comparison as misguided, given AP's 37% GSDP from agriculture and allied sectors versus Telangana's lesser post-bifurcation reliance—Nagi Reddy charged the "double-engine" government with ruining the sector. He urged MARKFED procurements with central aid, MSP for all crops (as YSRCP pioneered for barren tobacco), and superior results over the prior regime that sustained farming through COVID.
Emphasising farmers feed the nation, not just families, Nagi Reddy appealed for sincere, humane action to avert more tragedies.