State diverting farmer funds

Pedavaduguru (Ananthapuram dist),June 1: In a scathing attack on Chandababu Naidu government, Leader of Opposition YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has said that TDP has been diverting the funds earmarked for farmers to other areas depriving the battered farmers employment opportunities in the times of drought.

‘The State has diverted Rs 4,500 crores given by the Centre towards employment schemes to farmers to other areas depriving them who are already bearing the brunt due to the failure of implementing the loan waiver scheme to farmers and DWCRA women,’ he said while addressing the farmers and women groups as part of Rythu Bharosa Yatra here on Wednesday.

The Chief Minister during elections has promised to waive all agriculture and DWCRA loans but has totally forgotten the promise after coming to power and the two sections of people have been badly affected and they are now forced to take loans from private borrowers paying higher rate of interest and falling into debt trap.

‘Added to the misery of high costs, the farmers are not getting input subsidy and the question of insurance is not being considered at all. Even the water is not being released as the neighbouring state has been diverted the water and farmers are left high and dry while the Chief Minister is into luxurious,’ he said.

Earlier the farmers have poured their woes and told how they have been deceived by Chandrababu Naidu as they blindly believed him and became defaulters putting the question of renewal of loans at rest and leaving no scope for insurance.

‘At  least this meeting should serve as an eye-opener to Chandrababu Naidu and he should understand the plight of the farmers and DWCRA women groups and look for taking steps to mitigate the problems,’ he said adding that such interactions would mount pressure on him.