HYDERABAD: Nalgonda MP and former TPCC president N Uttam Kumar Reddy on Wednesday accused the TRS government of neglecting lakhs of farmers who are prone to the vagaries of the weather by not implementing crop insurance scheme in the state.
He demanded that CM KCR explain to the farmers the reasons for not implementing crop insurance scheme which could have prevented many farmers from suffering huge losses.
Addressing the farmers in various villages in Suryapet district on the fifth day of rachabanda-cum-rythu bharosa yatra, he said He said the financial assistance of Rs. 5,000 per acre per crop under the Rythu Bandhu scheme would be of no use if the farmer loses his crop due to rains, floods, drought, pest attack or any other natural disaster.
Uttam, who so far covered 40 out of 300 villages proposed to be visited by him as part of the yatra to highlight the Warangal Declaration unveiled by AICC leader Rahul Gandhi on May 6, said KCR government is not paying compensation to farmers for crop losses due to unseasonal rains although there is a court order on this issue.
The estimated losses due to heavy rains and floods in September/October 2020 were over Rs 7,200 crore. The farmers can get some relief if they are covered under crop insurance schemes. The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana was made voluntary from the Kharif 2020 season onwards.
Uttam alleged that the TRS government has discontinued the traditional system to enumerate the losses suffered by farmers due to natural calamities and other factors. Thousands of farmers lost their standing crops or the paddy stocked for disposal in their farmyards due to unseasonal rains in the last one week. Although the Chief Minister gave an assurance through a press release that the government would purchase the wet paddy, he was silent about giving compensation to those who lost their standing crops.
The Congress MP alleged that CM KCR was confusing the farmers by creating hype around the Rythu Bima Yojna. He said that the Rythu Bima was a group life insurance which is not helpful to a farmer who is alive although it provides financial relief to his family after his or her death due to any reason. The TRS government could save thousands of lives by introducing a crop insurance scheme, he said.
Box: Uttam demanded that CM KCR take immediate measures to introduce 100% crop insurance for the ensuing Kharif season. Congress, if voted to power, will introduce a comprehensive crop insurance policy covering losses due to natural calamities and other factors, he said.
