Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee (TPCC) President N. Uttam Kumar Reddy questioned the Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao’s fpr continuing his support for demonetisation which has badly hit the agriculture sector. He said that official statistics giving clear indication that the demonitisation move has completely reduced flow of funds to agriculture sector.
As against the target of Rs. 13,000 crore crop loans, the banks could disburse only Rs. 7,500 crore for Rabi season. He said despite good monsoon, the total sown area in the State was 25 per cent below normal. Moreover, he said that small and marginal farmers in Telangana were adversely affected due to note ban.
He deplored that the Chief Minister’s assurances on clearing third instalment of crop loan waiver scheme and release of input subsidy proved to be non-starter. The former minister pointed out that while replying to debate on farmers’ issue in Assembly on December 21, the Chief Minister had assured that the dues of third instalment of crop loan waiver would be released “immediately”. He sought to know what “immediate” means for the Chief Minister.
Further, the TPCC chief said that KCR has assured the House that any interest being charged by the banks for delays in payment of crop loan waiver amount would be borne by the State Government. However, he said banks were still charging the interest on crop loans to farmers only. Despite giving an assurance in the Assembly, he said the Chief Minister did nothing to inform the banks asking them not to charge interest to farmers.
Similarly, Uttam Kumar Reddy said that the Chief Minister has admitted of diverting Rs. 720 crore input subsidy for crop losses sent by the Central Government. KCR had assured to release the amount to farmers “within a day or two”. Even after 40 days, the State Government did not release the amount, he added.
He said that it is highly painful that KCR has been resorting to empty slogans like ‘Bangaru Telangana’ while hundreds of farmers are committing suicide across the State.
