Release 1,000 Crore For Farmers: BJP

Senior Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Bandaru Dattatreya on Wednesday demanded that the central government immediately release Rs. 1,000 crore as relief to bail out rain-affected farmers in the state.

Talking to media persons, the senior BJP leader said that the farmers in the state were in a fix with the announcement of the meagre package by Chief Minister N Kiran Kumar Reddy.

"The financial package announced by state government is not sufficient to rescue farmers from debt trap, and prevent them from resorting to suicides," he pointed out.

Taking a serious note of the crisis in the state, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh should immediately announce a Rs. 1,000 crore financial package from National Contingency Fund to help the distressed farmers, he said.

"Unable to bear the crop loss suffered in the floods, 95 farmers have committed suicide in the state so far," Dattatreya pointed out.

Reacting to the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) President N Chandrababu Naidu's deteriorating health condition, who was continuing his fast on the 6th day at the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences, Dattatreya said that the government should give up its adamant stand, and announce remunerative package for the benefit of farmers.

Courtesy: INN