HYDERABAD: Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy has dared BJP national leaders, expected to attend the party's national executive meetings on July 2 and 3, to declare that they would make amendments to the National Rural Employment Guarantee Act (NREGA). Reddy demanded the BJP leaders ensure its linkage with agriculture as promised in their 2019 election manifesto.
Addressing media at ministers' quarters on Wednesday, he further demanded the BJP to give constitutional protection for minimum support price (MSP) and declare that procurement will be done as per the legislation.
Instead of making excuses over the alleged unfeasibility of implementing the MS Swaminathan Commission's report, he dared the BJP to determine the MSP based on the (C2+50) principle recommended by the Commission.
He also demanded that BJP implement Rythu Bandhu (Farmers' Investment Support Scheme) across the country and to declare that the power reading meters will not be fitted in agricultural fields, and to assure free power for agriculture across the country.
Detailing out the various arrears from different finance commissions, as per AP Reorganisation Act to backward areas, GST arrears, and others, he has asked the BJP leaders to get the outstanding funds payable by the Centre to Telangana within 3-4 days.
Pointing-out that the budget allocation for agriculture in Telangana was 11.5 to 12 percent, which was far below the national average of 6 to 6.5 percent, and much below the allocation of BJP-ruled states like Gujarat (1.7), UP (4), and Assam (4); he said that Telangana was giving top priority to the agriculture sector.
"Three RBI governors, two vice-chairpersons of NITI Ayog, the prime minister's chief economic advisor, and two internationally-acclaimed virologists had resigned vexed with the Centre's unilateral decision-making attitude and governance. What does this suggest," he asked.
He said that the Centre has failed to address the unemployment problem which was presently 7.4 percent, and has performed badly in parameters like good governance, human development, and hunger indexes.
"Give a direction to the states to create employment and for development, but don't come here to further your divisive political agenda of demolishing the State governments where everything is fine," he suggested to the BJP's national leadership.