The Andhra Pradesh Assembly took up farmers' issues on it's fifth day of winter session.
On the fifth day as the Assembly sat on Wednesday for transacting business, there was no consensus on whether there should be a discussion on farmers' issues, or the Question Hour should be conducted, which was being cancelled for the last 4 days by Deputy Speaker Nadendla Manohar for various reasons.
After disallowing the adjournment motions moved by the Opposition members, the Deputy Speaker sought the opinions of the members. While the Congress, PRP, BJP and Lok Satta Members favoured the Question Hour, the TDP and TRS members insisted on the continuation of discussion on farmers' issue.
Speaking on the subject, TDP leader N Chandrababu Naidu said that public issues topped their agenda, and pointed out that in Karnataka and Orissa, the Congress members agitated in favour of holding a debate on farmers' problems.
As the 'issue' hung doubtful and consensus was proving elusive, the Deputy Speaker adjourned the House for 10 minutes. Manohar discussed the issue with Opposition Floor Leaders in his chambers. Thereafter, it was decided to hold Question Hour on Thursday.
As the Assembly reassembled, it started discussion on farmers' woes. CPI, CPM, BJP, Lok Satta, PRP members participating in the discussion, pointed various lapses in the system in which the farmers were cornered, while the government was a mere spectator.
While the government's net income from agriculture was Rs. 1500 crore, it did not do as much as the farmers expected.
PRP leader Shobha Nagireddy, while asking the government to support the poor farmers, said that so far the centre had not given a rupee to the farmers. LSP chief Jayaprakash Narayan said that 60 lakh families, that is, 3.5 crore people were depending on agriculture and farm labour. They were working as farm labourers, and added that unless reforms were brought in, their future was bleak.
He found fault with the NREGS Act due to which there was an exodus of these labourers from rural areas.
Defending the Act, Rural Development Minister Dokka Manikya Vara Prasada Rao clarified that the farmers were misled using spurious seeds and fertilisers.
The Lok Satta MLA pointed out that 10% of the total income on the grains was going to the treasury. He said that it was time farmers' suicides were halted.
TRS leader Harish Rao demanded that farmers be provided MSP. BJP leader G Kishen Reddy warned that they would resort to agitation if the farmers' issues were neglected.
CPI's K Sambasiva Rao and CPM's Julakanti Ranga Reddy said that during a span of 10 years, there were 2 lakh farmers' suicides. Independent member S Satyanarayana listed out the ill effects of the system due to which the farmers were suffering.
Courtesy: INN