The opposition Congress party urged the YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) government to declare all the 38 mandals in the district as drought-hit and provide relief to the affected farmers in light of the extreme dry spell.
Visiting the farmers in the worst-affected western parts of the district, Congress Prakasam unit President Eda Sudhakar Reddy said that it was unfortunate that the ruling YSRCP remained indifferent to the plight of farmers, who are struggling to save the already raised crops during the Kharif season with little rains during the early phase.
Caught in a debt trap, the helpless farmers were compelled to commit suicide, he lamented after touring the worst-affected Yerragondapalem region along with AICC Secretary S. Prasad. He urged the Jagan Mohan Reddy government to immediately release the compensation amount to the farmers.
The drought situation was very alarming across the district as the southwest monsoon season turned erratic in the later phase, he observed after speaking to a group of farmers at Markapur. He further stated that each of the affected farmers should also be provided an interest-free loan of ₹1 lakh to raise crops afresh during Rabi season.
The party members paid homage to former Prime Minister Indira Gandhi on her 106th birth anniversary on Sunday. Garlanding the portrait of the first woman Prime Minister, they recalled and lauded her people-friendly policies aimed at eradicating poverty and uplifting of the poor.
