Telangana Government Failed Farmers: Congress

The Congress Legislature Party on Saturday asked the Telangana government to convene the Assembly and Council sessions to discuss the issues concerning farmers and the land acquisition process.

Addressing a press conference at the CLP office, Leader Of Opposition in the Telangana Council Mohammed Ali Shabbir accused the Telangana government of completely neglecting the plight of the farmers in the State.

"Despite the fact that the farmers have suffered four consecutive crop failures since 2014, the government has failed to ensure crop recovery in the ongoing Kharif season," he said.

"The farmers have not been given any relief or adequate waivers under the loan-waiver scheme. The State government has waived only Rs 2,020 crores so far of the Rs 8,500 crores promised. Consequently, banks are refusing to sanction fresh loans to farmers," he added.

He also alleged that the State government was not utilising the Rs 800 crores that was sanctioned by the Central government towards drought relief in the State. He said that the farmers were given neither input subsidy nor any financial assistance under the State or Central government schemes, and alleged that the government was deliberately sabotaging the agriculture sector.

Shabbir Ali also slammed the TRS government over the land acquisition issue. "They (the government) should have implemented the Land Acquisition Act 2013 while acquiring land for different projects. Instead they implemented the GO 123 without any plans to rehabilitate the affected," he said, and demanded that the TRS government discuss the same in the Assembly.

He reiterated that Land Acquisition Act 2013 was comprehensive, and that farmers should not confuse it with GO 123.

Shabbir Ali said that farmers across the State were worried about the outcome of the Kharif season. Except for a few parts of the Adilabad and Warangal districts, the Telangana districts had insufficient rainfalls, he claimed. The government should proactively take measures to rehabilitate farmers and recover crop cover, he demanded.

"The TRS government should convene the Assembly and Council, and discuss crop failure and land acquisition," he said.