HYDERABAD: The BRS called upon its cadre to organise protests across the state on Monday, against the state government’s failure to provide agriculture investment support of Rs 15,000 per acre per year under the Rythu Bharosa scheme.
Speaking to reporters here on Sunday, BRS working president KT Rama Rao pointed out that the Congress government went back on its promise of providing Rs 15,000 per acre per year to farmers and now announced that it will give only Rs 12,000. “CM A Revanth Reddy has mastered the art of fooling people,” he alleged.
Urging the farmers to prevent Congress leaders from entering their villages, he said that the BRS cadre would stage protests in villages and towns across the state in support of farmers. “There’s no clarity on whether or not the government will extend the Rythu Bharosa benefits to horticulture farmers. In fact, the government announced its decision to implement the scheme after a delay of one year and that too because the local body elections are round the corner,” he said and wanted to know from the people if they want the Rythu Bandhu scheme, introduced by the BRS government, to be continued or not.
Disputes CM’s claim on salary payments
Disputing with the CM’s statement that the government was paying Rs 6,500 crore every month towards salaries, Rama Rao said that the salary bill was just Rs 4,300 crore. Rama Rao recalled that as per the last Budget presented in the Assembly, the state had a revenue surplus of Rs 1,734 crore. “Yet, the government is citing the lack of finances to implement the schemes. The state’s revenue and capital receipts per month are Rs 24,234 crore,” he said.
Disputing with the CM’s statement that the government was paying Rs 6,500 crore every month towards salaries, Rama Rao said that the salary bill was just Rs 4,300 crore.
Finding fault with the Cabinet decision to provide only Rs 12,000 per acre under Rythu Bharosa, he said that the government also imposed several conditions to implement it.
“This is nothing but deceiving the people. Words like fraud, deception and injustice will not be suitable to describe this government’s failures. We have to find new words in the dictionary,” he said and added that the people would “bury” the Congress in the coming days.
Dares Rahul Gandhi to meet Telangana farmers
Playing six videos, in which Rahul Gandhi, Revanth Reddy and Komatireddy Venkat Reddy are seen assuring the people that the state’s finances were sound and that the Congress would implement Rythu Bharosa, Rama Rao asked Rahul if he is ready to meet farmers in any village in the state. “Where is Rahul Gandhi when the Congress government is deceiving the farmers,” he wondered.
He also found fault with the CM for stating that the situation of government employees was better in the combined AP than in the 10-year BRS rule. “The BRS hiked salaries of employees by 73%. It is because of the employees’ contribution, the biggest lift irrigation scheme was constructed. They are responsible for the state becoming No 1 in per capita income,” he said.