Farmers in Andhra Pradesh are suffering as the YSRCP government is indifferent to their plight, alleges BJP national secretary Y. Satya Kumar.
Addressing the media here on November 19, Mr. Satya Kumar said that Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy and Chief Secretary K.S. Jawahar Reddy were issuing divergent statements on the prevalence of drought in the State.
“While Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy says there is no drought in the State, Mr. Jawahar Reddy admits its prevalence. Agriculture Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy has his own version on the issue. There is no coordination between the officials and the political leadership. In the process, the farmers are at the receiving end,” the BJP leader said.
“Is the Chief Minister not aware of the fact that farmers have not taken up cultivation in 30 lakh acres in the State? Paddy cultivation has not been taken up in 20 lakh acres,” he added.
“The government has not prepared any contingency plan to mitigate drought. It is unfortunate that the Chief Minister is not ready to accept the prevalence of drought in the State. He is not in a position to convene an all-party meeting on the issue and elicit suggestions on tackling the crisis,” he said.
While 400 mandals were drought-hit, the government was not ready to declare the same. The government should have made efforts to tap the Central government funds for the drought-hit mandals, Mr. Satya Kumar said.
“Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy is unable to provide irrigation waters to the farmers, but is ensuring water supply to his companies,” he alleged.
“The government is providing water to his companies by issuing G.Os. while ignoring the irrigation requirements in the Rayalaseema region. Water is being supplied from Mylavaram to Bharati Cements. No other company has this facility,” Mr. Satya Kumar alleged. The government was forcing the farmers to migrate, he added.
“The BJP will stage protests across the State to highlight the issue, besides seeking the visit of a Central team to assess the drought situation in the State,” he said.
The BJP office-bearers’ meeting would be organised in Ongole on Monday to discuss the drought conditions and the future action plan. A political resolution would also be adopted at the meeting, he added.
