Minister for IT, Industries and Urban Development and working president of the Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) K.T. Rama Rao has sought to know from the Congress whether the party had ever thought of schemes such as Rythu Bandu and Rythu Bima for the farming community.
Speaking at a public meeting after laying foundation stone for development works worth ₹60 crore in Yellareddy Municipality in Kamareddy district on Monday, he said the Congress, which had not given even six-hour free power for farming at a stretch during its 2004-14 stint, was nitpicking on the 24×7 free power being provided for farming by the BRS Government.
TPCC president A. Revanth Reddy had himself stated in the past, when he was with TDP, that power cuts during the Congress regime were so high that people used to plead with electricity authorities after attending funerals in villages to supply power at least for an hour so that they could take bath, Mr. Rama Rao recollected.
However, Mr. Reddy during his visit to the US had gone on to reveal the party’s plans that it would not give 24×7 free power for farming, if the party was voted to power, as a majority of farmers in the State had landholding up to three acres and only three-hour supply would be enough to pump water to irrigate the extent.
Stating that the Yellareddy constituency was one of the top paddy-producing areas in Telangana in recent years, he asked the farming community and people whether they prefer three-hour supply or uninterrupted supply for farming. The farming community had to struggle even for seed and fertilizer during the Congress regime but it had become a thing of the past under BRS rule.
The BRS working president cautioned people that the Congress, if voted to power, would scrap schemes such as 24×7 free power, Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bima, Dalit Bandhu and benefits to all other sections. He said Telangana was the first State in the country to roll out social security pension to beedi workers.
Referring to BJP, Mr. Rama Rao urged people to ensure that the party candidate in Yellareddy forfeited the security deposit for taking the cooking gas cylinder price from ₹400 to ₹1,200. Minister for Roads and Buildings V. Prashanth Reddy, and District Collector Jitesh V. Patil participated in the official events.
MPs B. B. Patil and K. R. Suresh Reddy, MLAs J. Surender, G. Goverdhan and R. Balakishan, ZP chairperson D. Shobha and several others participated in the public meeting.
