T-Cong asks Governor to help distressed farmers

The Telangana Congress leaders called on Governor ESL Narasimhan at Raj Bhavan here on Tuesday seeking his intervention to help the farmers who are in distress and stop rising suicides.

The T-Congress leaders comprising Leader of the Opposition K Jana Reddy, TPCC President Ponnala Lakshamaiah, legislators DK Aruna, Dr J Geetha Reddy, Mohammed Ali Shabbir and others complained to the Governor that more than 250 farmers committed suicide since the TRS came into power in June this year. "On an average, at least three farmers are ending their lives and in the last three days, the number of suicides has gone up by six to seven per day," they said.

Briefing media persons later, Ponnala said that the negligence of TRS Government was solely responsible for the pathetic condition of farmers. "It is pathetic that neither the Chief Minister nor his cabinet colleagues are willing to even acknowledge the miserable deaths of farmers and console their families. The government totally failed to give any assurance and confidence to the farmers that they would be rescued," he said.

Ponnala said that the Governor's intervention has been sought to waive off the total loans of farmers on immediate basis; ensures that the banks extend the crop loans without any conditions and complexities; provide uninterrupted power supply for at least eight hours to the farmers, ensure speedier response to suicides by farmers by implementing GO No 421; extend special fiscal relief measures to the farmers who incurred losses due to drought, deficient rainfall and erratic power supply and ensure procurement of paddy, cotton maize and other crops with best MSP.

The TPCC chief said that the Governor has been asked to mediate between Chief Ministers of Telangana and Andhra Pradesh to resolve the ongoing controversy over power sharing. He said both the States are duty bond to resolve the energy crisis as per the provisions of Andhra Pradesh State Reorganisation Act.

He claimed that the government has agreed to speak to Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on the issue and will also inform the Centre about it.