Farm sop not for votes: CM K Chandrashekar Rao

Chief Minister K. Chandrashekar Rao on Tuesday that the government’s investment support for agriculture is not aimed at getting votes in the elections.

He also criticised the promise of Congress leaders that they would waive Rs 2 lakh loans of each farmer saying that it is a gimmick to get votes in the elections and it would be an impossible task for them to do so.He was addressing the district coordinators of farmers’ coordination committee at Pragathi Bhavan on Tuesday.

The Chief Minister has asked the members of the farmers’ coordination committee or the Rythu Samanwaya Samithi to play a key role in the distribution of pattadar pass books and investment support scheme cheques under Rythu Bandhu as well as in the implementation of life insurance scheme for the farmers.

Mr Rao said that his government had fulfilled every promise made in the TRS election manifesto for the welfare of farmers and has even gone beyond that by imp-lementing many schemes that are not promised in manifesto.

He said that the second instalment of cheques under the Rythu Bandhu scheme will be given in November.“There was a time when Telangana farmers lived with great respect and honour. The farming was fairly good occupation. Farmers were in a position to offer donations in tune with their status. The policies adopted in United States pushed agriculture into a bad shape. The farmer has become a loser on all counts. We thought that the situation should improve after the formation of Telangana.



Accordingly, we initiated and implemented several schemes benefiting the farmers. To begin with we waived the farmers’ loans, aggregating to a tune of Rs 17,000 crore,” Mr Rao said.

He said his government had constructed irrigation projects and provided fertilisers and seeds on time without any delay.

“We introduced an investment support scheme to discourage farmers from taking private loans and are offering Rs 5 lakh life insurance cover to farmers. To make all these programmes a great success the Rythu Samanwaya Samithis must play a key role,” he explained.

Speaking about the Congress’ promise of waiving off Rs 2 lakh worth loan for each farmer, the Chief Minister said it is just not possible. 

“The state’s income from all sources is Rs 10,525 crore. Out of this, Rs 2,000 crore are to be spent for loan servicing, Rs 6,000 crore for employee salaries, pensions, Aasara pensions and other subsidies. This leaves the state government with just Rs 2,500 crore for spending on government schemes and other activities.”

Taking this into consideration, Mr Rao said if the government need to waive Rs 2 lakh loan of each farmer as is promised by the Congress, the government can’t pay salaries to employees for 20 months. Is it possible to run a government for 20 months without paying salaries to the employees? Under any circumstances, it is not possible. But the Congress is making false promises.”