YSRCP slams Naidu for Rs. 1,250 Cr farmer dues and systemic neglect

Tadepalli, July 2: YSRCP Regional Coordinator and former Minister Karumuru Venkata Nageswara Rao has lambasted the Chandrababu Naidu-led coalition government for its relentless injustice towards farmers across Andhra Pradesh. Speaking at the YSRCP central office in Tadepalli, Karumuru expressed outrage over the government’s failure to clear Rs. 1,250 crore in dues owed to farmers for their sold grain, leaving them in financial distress for over two months. “The Civil Supplies Minister Nadendla Manohar promised payments within 24 hours, but where are those funds?” Rao demanded that the government prioritize publicity stunts like Yogandhra, which cost over Rs. 300 crore, and Amaravati’s repeated foundation ceremonies, costing Rs. 700 crore, while farmers languish without support.
Karumuru highlighted the dire situation faced by farmers, who are not only denied fair prices for their crops but also face exploitation by middlemen and millers forming syndicates. He noted that farmers are losing Rs. 300 to Rs. 450 per sack, with some facing losses up to Rs. 600 per quintal due to the government’s failure to enforce minimum support prices. “Under our YSRCP government, a 75-kg sack fetched over Rs. 2,000, but today, farmers struggle to get even Rs. 1,400,” Rao stated. He criticized the government for neglecting tenant farmers, who are unable to sell to the government due to unissued tenant cards, forcing them to sell at a loss to exploitative intermediaries. Pending dues include Rs. 300 crore in West Godavari, Rs. 260 crore in Konaseema, Rs. 150 crore in East Godavari, and Rs. 130 crore in Kakinada.
The grain procurement process, Rao charged, has been handed over to middlemen and private players, with the government failing to provide basic facilities like gunny bags, labor, or transport. “Farmers are forced to bear these costs themselves, and even then, no payments are credited to their accounts,” he said. Unlike the YSRCP government, which ensured transparent procurement and covered transport and labor costs, the current regime has allowed the system to fall into the hands of exploitative syndicates. Rao also pointed out the absence of transport tenders, further exposing the government’s negligence. “Farmers are burdened with mounting debts and rising interest, unable to afford seeds for the Kharif season,” he added, emphasizing the plight of farmers in the Godavari districts, known as the state’s granary.
Rao called for immediate action to clear the Rs. 1,250 crore in dues and restore fair procurement practices. “This government’s obsession with publicity and records must stop. Farmers deserve justice, not betrayal,” he asserted, urging the coalition to prioritize the welfare of Andhra Pradesh’s farmers over extravagant expenditures.