GUNTUR: Energy Minister Gottipati Ravi Kumar and Agriculture Minister Kinjarapu Atchannaidu on Wednesday inaugurated a black burley tobacco procurement centre at the Santamaguluru agricultural market yard in Addanki constituency.
The initiative is part of the government’s strategy to stabilise prices for crops like tobacco, cocoa, and mangoes, which have seen a slump due to surplus yields this season. Gottipati said the government has allocated Rs 270 crore for tobacco procurement and is offering an additional Rs 4 per kg on the minimum support price (MSP) for mangoes to help farmers.
Allying fears of distressed farmers, Atchannaidu affirmed that the government is stepping in to ensure fair returns. He criticised the YSRCP regime for neglecting farmer welfare and misusing public funds, especially in the liquor trade. He recalled the incarceration of himself and Chandrababu Naidu during the YSRCP’s term, calling it unjust.
Gottipati outlined several welfare schemes being implemented by the coalition government, including enhanced pensions of Rs 4,000, free cooking gas under the Deepam scheme, and free bus services for women starting August 15. He said around Rs 33,000 crore is being spent on pensions, benefiting 65 lakh people.
He also said Rs 3 crore had been spent within a year to repair canals in Addanki, particularly the vital NSP canal, which local ryots depend on.