Congress Condemns Lacks Of Facilities In Procurement Centres

Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President & Nalgonda MP N Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that there were inadequate gunny bags, tarpaulin covers etc. to protect the agricultural produce at the procurement centres in Telangana.

He expressed serious concern over huge losses to farmers due to the unseasonal rains in different parts of Telangana during the last few days. He demanded that the both Central and the state government pay compensation to the farmers who lost their crops due to the rains.

Speaking to media persons after visiting the paddy procurement centres in Nalgonda Rural mandal on Saturday, Reddy said that not only had standing crops spread over thousands of acres been lost, even the harvested crops kept for procurement had suffered heavy damage. He said that despite several requests the state government had not taken any measures for the proper procurement of the agricultural produce. And despite predictions of heavy rains across Telangana, no precautions had been taken to protect the agriculture produce - even gunny bags had not been arranged in adequate quantities.

Reddy demanded that the state government immediately enumerate the losses suffered by the farmers due to the unseasonal rains and immediately pay compensation. He said that the farmers were already hit due to the coronavirus lockdown, and therefore compensation should be paid to the affected ones immediately without any delay.

The TPCC chief also ridiculed the criticism by Finance Minister Harish Rao and Animal Husbandry Minister Talasani Srinivas Yadav of the Congress for pointing out flaws in the anti-corona measures by the state government. "They must realise that we are living in a democratic country and not a dictatorship. Here the opposition parties have a constitutional right to question all the actions of the government, and those in power are bound to reply to all the questions raised by even a common man. Therefore challenging our right to question the government is not only wrong but anti-constitutional. Further, if the TRS leaders did nothing wrong, then they should not fear answering any question," he said, adding that meeting the Chief Secretary or Governor were part of democratic practices, and that only those who didn't believe in the constitution would raise objections.

Reddy said that instead of criticising the Congress leadership, the TRS ministers should give simple answers to very common questions. "Why are they hesitant to explain the actual financial situation of Telangana to the people? Why are they not disclosing the break-up of the funds spent to combat the coronavirus? If there was no misuse of the CMRF, then why is the TRS government hesitant to disclose the details of the total donations received and how they were utilised?" he asked.

He said that the TRS ministers had neither any answers nor any powers to speak on those issues. "Harish Rao, as the Finance Minister, should have spent time meeting experts to find solutions to bring Telangana out from the financial crisis. He is totally clueless on how the lockdown has impacted the state's economy. He is busy in daily photo-shoots of some food distribution program. He is not empowered to do his own job. CM KCR holds reviews on the state's finances in the absence of the finance minister; discusses the coronavirus situation without involving the Health Minister; and reviews the lockdown without allowing the Home Minister to enter his gates. Before criticising the Congress leaders, the TRS leaders must first do their jobs as they too are accountable to the people," he said.

Responding to Harish Rao's comments that the people had sent the Congress leaders into isolation, Reddy advised all the TRS leaders to first ask KCR when his "self quarantine" going on for the last six years in Pragathi Bhavan would end.