*Aqua farmers must get relief before July 1 or face statewide agitation*

Tadepalli, June 16: YSRCP West Godavari District President and former MLA Mudunuri Prasada Raju announced that the government must resolve the issues facing aqua farmers before July 1 or 2, failing which YSRCP President and former Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy will personally lead an agitation in West Godavari district alongside aqua farmers. Speaking after a meeting between Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and representatives of the All India Aqua Federation and district-level aqua associations at the Tadepalli camp office, Prasada Raju said the interaction gave confidence to distressed farmers, with Jagan assuring them of his complete support.
He said the coalition government must fulfil its election promise of providing power at Rs.1.50 per unit to all aqua farmers, irrespective of aqua or non-aqua zones, restore the effective implementation of the APSADA Act to regulate feed companies and exporters, withdraw the Power Factor condition introduced through the recent government order that threatens subsidy eligibility, and extend subsidies to feed manufacturers to prevent additional burden on farmers. He stated that Andhra Pradesh is witnessing the worst aqua crisis in four decades, with feed prices rising unchecked, exporters functioning as syndicates, and farmers suffering heavy losses while the government stands with corporate interests instead of producers. Recalling the YSRCP government’s initiatives, he said Rs.3,800 crore was provided as power subsidy, APSADA was established to protect farmers, and village-level aqua labs and RBK support systems strengthened the sector. He warned that despite repeated representations, the government has failed to respond, and if corrective measures are not taken before July 1 or 2, YSRCP will launch a large-scale agitation under the leadership of Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy in support of aqua farmers.