It’s Congress that has made farming a rewarding work, says YSR

The Congress Government has ushered in an agricultural revolution in the State by increasing the Minimum Support Price of paddy by Rs. 350, Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy said at a public meeting held here on Saturday.

Farmers cultivating paddy, who had been at a loss due to continuous drought conditions which had prevailed in the State during the nine-year rule of Telugu Desam Party, were now smiling as there were bountiful rains coupled with a steep increase in crop productivity. The MSP of paddy, which was marginally increased from Rs.500 to Rs.580 during TDP rule had gone up to Rs.930, he said.

Lambasting the TDP for placing agricultural activity on the back burner calling it as a ‘wasteful’ exercise, he said that it was the Congress that had made farming a rewarding work.

The Chief Minister, who arrived an hour behind schedule, was received at a make shift helipad on Agriculture Market yard premises by Union Minister and Bapatla Lok Sabha Congress candidate Panabaka Lakshmi and Vemuru Assembly candidate Meruga Nagarjuna.

The venue was tastefully decorated with banana plantations and the attendance of a large number of youth and women, braving the scorching sun, enthused the Congress cadre. A large number of sugarcane farmers too made their presence.

Under the loan waiver scheme of the Central Government loans waived debts amounting to Rs.11,150 crores of 67 lakh farmers in the State, he said.

‘Mistaken impression’

The Chief Minister lacing his words with wit and sarcasm reserved for his opponents reiterated his criticism against the TDP and TRS alliance. “If by chance, the Grand Alliance comes to power, there would be no Polavaram and Pulichinatala projects as the TRS would stall the completion of projects,” Mr. Reddy observed.

Referring to the Praja Rajyam party, he said the party president was under the mistaken impression that public life was akin to a two-hour movie, where the hero prances with a couple of heroines. “Chiranjeevi has no understanding of the problems of poor and does not have political sense. In the end, the party will have only engine and no compartments,” Mr. Reddy pointed out.

After addressing the meeting, Mr. Reddy left for Chilakaluripet by a helicopter.