BJP leaders request the Governor to ask the government of India to release the funds for input subsidy to help cyclone-hit farmers.
The Bharatiya Janata Party's leaders called on Governor E S L Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan here on Wednesday, seeking immediate release of input subsidy for farmers, with enhancement and a scientific assessment of crop damage due to cyclone and heavy rains.
In their memorandum, the BJP leaders said that due to heavy rains, crops like paddy, cotton, jowar, red gram, maize, groundnut and soya bean, as well as horticulture crops, were completely decimated.
While crops were completely washed-out in some areas, in other places, grains were reportedly discolored due to incessant soaking. Also, it was reported that in certain areas, grains had started sprouting.
"Immediately after the floods, there have been statements from the government that it would stand by the farmers, and would buy the grains for the MSP irrespective of the state of the crop. However, neither the government departments nor private agencies have come forward to buy the grain, leaving the farmers in a lurch. The CCI is reluctant to procure the colour-changed cotton," they said.
The BJP leaders alleged that the Agriculture Department was unable to complete the enumeration of damaged crop due to shortage of staff.
"One month after the floods, a team employed by the Central government is now visiting the affected areas. It has been learnt that the state government machinery is not assisting the Central team in assessing the crop loss, due to shortage of staff," members of the BJP said, while alleging that local political leaders were meddling with the list, at the expense of genuine farmers who lost crops.
They requested that the Governor instruct the state government to address the issues of the farmers affected by floods.
The BJP leaders also requested the Governor to request the government of India to release the funds for input subsidy to help the farmers.
"The loss should be treated as national disaster, and assistance has to be provided to rescue the farmers. Input subsidy has to be provided at the rate of a minimum of Rs. 15,000 per acre, irrespective of percentage of crop damage, for farmers whose crop / harvested crop has been damaged due to cyclone. All crop loans should be waived, and an assistance of Rs. 15,000 per acre should be given to all the farmers who have not availed themselves of bank loans. Seeds and fertilizers should be provided on a 90% subsidy for Rabi crop, and Rs. 10,000 crores should be released immediately from the Centre for input subsidy to help the farmers," they said.
The delegation comprised BJP state president G Kishan Reddy, floor leader E Lakshminarayana, the party's national vice-president Bandaru Dattatreyya and a few other leaders. (INN)