The Agriculture Minister of Telangana, S Niranjan Reddy, spoke out about the Union Minister for Culture and Tourism, G Kishan Reddy’s claims that the Centre has been supporting farmers and the agriculture sector for nine years. Niranjan Reddy said that despite the Centre’s promise to double farmers’ incomes by 2022, farmers are only investing more in cultivating their lands. He also criticized the Centre’s decision to set a minimum support price (MSP) unilaterally instead of considering state-wise crop investments.
Niranjan Reddy also criticized the Centre’s lack of support for irrigation projects in Telangana, saying that while the Centre had given national status to a project in Karnataka, no BJP leaders from Telangana had asked for the same for Telangana’s projects. He also accused the Centre of only procuring 25% of crop yields on MSP and leaving the burden on state governments. The Food Corporation of India and Cotton Corporation of India are also not procuring paddy and cotton, leaving the burden on states.
Niranjan Reddy also said that the Centre has no plan for fertilizer utilization and crop diversification, and states implementing them receive no encouragement. He criticized the Union Minister’s media conference for reflecting self-patting and blaming others. Niranjan Reddy also questioned the Centre’s claims of credit for loan disbursal and fertilizer subsidies, saying that they existed before the BJP came to power.
