No gunny bags to save grains: Uttam
Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president N. Uttam Kumar Reddy alleged that there were no facilities like gunny bags in adequate quantity, tarpaulin covers, etc., to protect agricultural produce at procurement centres in Telangana.
Speaking with the press after visiting the paddy procurement centres in Nalgonda Rural mandal on Saturday, he expressed serious concern over the huge loss to farmers due to unseasonal rains during the last few days.
He demanded that the Centre and state governments compensate farmers who have lost their crops due to the rains. Not only standing crops spread over thousands of acres were lost but also harvested crops kept for procurement had suffered heavy damage. Reddy pointed out that despite several requests, the state government did not take measures for proper procurement of agriculture produce.
Reddy ridiculed the criticism by ministers T. Harish Rao and Talasani Srinivas Yadav of the Congress for pointing out flaws in the government’s anti-Coronavirus measures. He said “They must realise that we are living in a democratic country and not a dictatorship. Here, Opposition parties have a constitutional right to question all actions of the government and those in power are bound to reply to all the questions raised by even a lay citizen.”
The TPCC chief further said “Meeting the Chief Secretary or Governor are part of democratic practices and only those who don’t believe in Constitution will raise objection.”
He said that instead of criticising the Congress leadership, the TRS ministers must give simple answers to common questions. “Why are they hesitant to explain the actual financial situation to the people? Why are they not disclosing the breakup of funds spent to combat Coronavirus,” Mr Reddy asked.
He questioned, “If there was no misuse of the Chief Minister’s Relief Fund, why is the TRS government hesitant to disclose the details of donations received and how they were utilised." He said TRS ministers neither have any answers nor powers to speak on those issues.
“Harish Rao as finance minister should have spent time meeting experts to find solutions to bring Telangana state out of this financial crisis. He is totally clueless on how the lockdown has impacted the state's economy. He is not empowered to do his own job,” he added.