Govt doing nothing despite severe drought in AP: YS Jagan

Speaking at a short-term discussion on the drought situation in the state, he said the farmers suicides were alarmingly rising as the government has not been providing input subsidies. The said the farmers were being crushed under the weight of the mounting debt burden.

He said though severe drought conditions prevailed in 556 mandals, the government has declared only 238 mandals are drought hit. The enumeration of the drought mandals was also delayed, he pointed out. Though the collectors wanted Rs 1500 crore for input subsidy, the government had given not a farthing, he said.

YS Jagan pointed out that oil seeds were sown in only 47 per cent of the total area for oilseed cultivation. Similarly, pulses were sown in only 57.93 per cent area, paddy was sown in 50 per cent area. He said in addition to the drought condition, the banks were not advancing loans due to non-waiver of earlier loans. He said as many as 196 persons died in Anantapur alone. He demanded that the Rs 5 lakh ex-gratia that is to be given to the kin of the dead farmers should be paid in one go.

However, the TDP as a strategy, repeatedly disrupted YS Jagan’s speech. Minister Palle Raghunath Reddy referred to Pattiseema. When YS Jagan wanted to respond, Speaker Kodela Sivaprasad Reddy refused to allow him saying the topic was already discussed and that he should stick to the agenda. Minsiters Prattipati, Whip Kalva Srinivasulu and Ravela Kishore Babu interjected repeatedly.