Agriculture Minister K. Kannababu on Wednesday said that the YSRCP government granted ex gratia to the next of kin of the 391 farmers whose suicide was hushed up during the TDP term.
Addressing the media here, Mr. Kannababu, while admitting that 24 farmers had committed suicide since January 2020, brushed aside the allegation that 20 farmers had taken the extreme step during the lockdown period alone.
“Basing on the official data available, the campaign being run by a section of media and the TDP on farmers’ suicide during the lockdown period is false,” the Minister said.
“The State government has procured crops worth of ₹7,452 crore, including 32 lakh tones of paddy worth ₹5,345 crore. Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has ensured release of payment of ₹4,256 crore to the farmers towards procurement of yield,” said Mr. Kannababu.
‘Bills kept pending by TDP cleared’
“It was the TDP government headed by N. Chandrababu Naidu that did not pay ₹960 crore to the paddy farmers and ₹552 crore to the farmers towards procurement of seed from them. However, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy had cleared all the pending bills. Such initiatives have rescued the farmers in distress,” Mr. Kannababu asserted.
Referring to efforts to check supply of fake seed, he said, “The State government will seize the seed being sold at higher prices by the companies. In case fake seed is found to have been sold, the entire seed quantity will be seized.”
He further stated that 80% work on upgrading electricity feeders had been completed to ensure power supply for nine hours to the agriculture sector.
