CM assures total help to 26 lakh tenant farmers

CM addressing public meeting in Rajahmundry

Rajahmundry, July 10 (NSS): The Chief Minister Mr. N. Kirankumar Reddy has said for the first time not only in the country but also in the entire world, the state government has come forward to protect the rights of the tenant farmers and help them financially

The Chief Minister has launched distribution of loan eligibility cards to tenant farmers formally here on Sunday.

Addressing a public meeting on the occasion, the government, the state cabinet, public representatives and officials have worked for the past five months and prepared the ordinance meant to safeguard the interests of the tenant farmers. He said this ordinance while protecting the tenants would also safeguard the interests of the land owners. Stating that there were 26 lakh tenant farmers in the state, he said they would get seeds, fertilizers, insurance, bank loans and every other facility the other farmers were getting. He said this was the reason why the scheme was called “Sagu Rythuku Rakshana Hastham.”

Mr. Reddy has said that his government was implementing several schemes for the benefit of farmers, tenant farmers and even for agriculture labourers because of the importance it was attaching to agriculture. He has announced amid applause from farmers that the government was waiving off Rs. 650 crores worth crop loan dues of the farmers.

Grievance cell for farmers

The Chief Minister said the government was setting up grievance cells not only in the capital, but also in all the districts to redress the problems faced by the farming community. He has appealed to the farmers not to declare crop holiday. He said the government would be taking up the Indira Sagar Polavaram project at a cost of Rs. 16,000 crores and it would stabilize irrigation to 22 lakh acres and create fresh irrigation potential of 7.5 lakh acres, he said. He said tenders process would be completed in August and works would be launched later. He said all the clearances for the project were already given by the central government. Stating that the government was trying for national status for the project, the Chief Minister has expressed hope that it would also be given by the centre shortly.

The Chief Minister has also distributed bank linkage loans of Rs. 69 crores to 28 thousand women groups.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Minister Mr. Pallam Raju has said that the Kiran Kumar Reddy government had taken up several welfare schemes for the farmers and farm laborers. He said while he NDA government has increased the MSP for paddy by Rs. 30 to 40 during six years, the UPA government has increased it by Rs. 300 to 400. he said the UPA Chairperson Ms. Sonia Gandhi, the Prime Minister Dr Manmohan Singh and the Chief Minister Mr. N. Kirankumar Reddy were working day and night to improve the lot of the farmers and implementing several welfare schemes for their benefit. Stating that the government has started Eleru canal modernization works at a cost of Rs. 135 crores, he said Polavaram project would also be taken up soon.

Revenue Minister Mr. Raghuveera Reddy said that right from the days of Indira Gandhi to Sonia Gandhi the Congress governments were working relentlessly for the welfare of the poor and the farming community. He said the Kiran Kumar Reddy government has launched the revolutionary scheme of helping the tenant farmers.

Ministers Mr. Thota Narasimham, Mr. P Viswaroop, MPs Mr. Undavalli Arun Kumar, Mr.  Harsha Kumar, several MLAs, MLCs, ZP Chairman and other public representatives have participated in the programme attended by thousands of farmers. (NSS)