Naidu seeks white paper from Jagan Government on agricultural sector

AMARAVATI: TDP Chief Chandrababu Naidu on Wednesday, accused Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy of betraying the Rayalaseema region. Speaking at the NTR Bhavan in Amaravati, Naidu said, "While Rs 12,441 crore were spent on Rayalaseema projects by the TDP regime, the YSRCP Government only spent Rdds 2,011 crore. The Jagan Mohan Reddy-led government is focussed only on commissions and not projects. He has pushed each farmer into a debt trap of Rs 2.4 lakh. This put the farmers on ventilator.” He then sought a white paper on the agriculture sector crisis.

Naidu added the Andhra Pradesh Government neglected the farm sector and failed to rescue farmers even as the State was experiencing a 27 per cent deficit rainfall. He claimed that the four-year rule of the YSRCP Government had pushed the farming sector into a serious crisis.

"Though the Kharif season started long ago, the State is still experiencing drought. Till now, there is a deficit of 27 per cent in rainfall in the State. Nellore district recorded the lowest rainfall of 42 per cent, while Chittoor had 36, Kadapa 48, Kurnool 28, Anantapur 26, East Godavari 42 and West Godavari 40 per cent less rainfall till now,” Naidu claimed.

“This situation is really alarming. Some 3,000 farmers resorted to suicide in the past four years. The state is in Second position in ‘tenant farmer suicides’ while it stood third in the country in the farmer suicides. Actually, a total of Rs 210 crore ex gratia should be paid to the affected farmers but Jagan Mohan Reddy paid only Rs 47 crore,” he added.

Naidu sought a white paper on the assistance extended to the farmers as also to the agriculture sector in the past four years.