SIDDIPET: BRS MLA and former minister T Harish Rao accused Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy of showing more interest in Miss World pageant than addressing the problems of farmers who suffered losses due to recent untimely rains.
Speaking to the media after visiting rain-hit agriculture fields in Nanganoor on Sunday night, the BRS leader said: “The chief minister is not showing any interest in addressing the farmers issues. He is more interested in international beauty competitions. Farmers suffered heavy losses due to untimely rains. They are in distress,” he said.
Claiming that farmers were being forced to wait at market yards for days together for officials to procure paddy, he said: “About 3,500 bags of paddy has soaked in the rain as it was not lifted in time by officials.”
Harish alleged that the government was holding Rythu Mahotsavams to divert people’s attention from its failures.
‘The agriculture minister promised to pay money to farmers within 48 hours of buying paddy from them. But that promise has not been fulfilled,” he said.
The BRS leader, meanwhile, demanded that the government to immediately pay `500 crore per quintal of fine variety paddy produced by farmers, provide compensation to farmers whose crops were damaged in rains and also purchase soaked paddy.
He also alleged Rs 3,500 crore scam in cotton purchase, claiming that farmers were cheated by middle men and officials.