TRS packs farmer panels

Election mood in villages as ministers, MLAs pick favourites

THIS LEAVES HUGE SCOPE FOR LOBBYING AND INFLUENCE PEDDLING

Ministers and MLAs are using their “discretionary powers” to nominate ruling party activists or farmers known to be supporters of the TRS in villages for the much-touted Farmers' Councils on Day-1.

The exercise to constitute the councils began on Friday and ministers, MLAs and TRS leaders made a beeline to villages for the purpose.

An election-like atmosphere prevailed in villages as ruling party leaders conducted meetings with TRS activists and farmers in function halls. Over 1.75 lakh farmers need to be selected for these councils across the state.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao has announced schedule for setting up councils from the village to the statelevel from September 1 to 9.

These councils will play a key role in ensuing land survey from September 15 to purify revenue records ahead of implementing the scheme to provide `8,000 per acre per year financial assistance for farmers.

While legislators have been authorised to select farmers in each village, the district-incharge minister will approve the selection list. MLAs and MLCs shortlisted 20 names from each village and sent them to the ministers concerned for approval.

In constituencies where there are no TRS MLAs, local party leaders selected farmers and sent the list to the district minister for approval, leading to a tussle between supporters of ruling and Opposition parties.

Ministers have finalised 15 names for village-level councils. For mandal-level councils, 24 members will be shortlised from village councils. The districtlevel councils will have 24 members selected from among mandal councils.

The state-level council will have 42 members selected from districtlevel councils.