Drought being politicized, Charges Lok Satta

The Lok Satta Party today took both the Congress and the Telugu Desam Party to task for politicizing the drought plaguing the State and trying to outsmart each other in gaining political mileage.

Talking to the media, Mr. Enugu Rama Rao, State party Working Committee member and Mr. N. Ravinder, Greater Hyderabad unit President, said that the ruling party and the TDP were not eager work together in tackling the problem. While the ruling party tried to minimize the gravity of the situation, the Opposition tried to magnify it. Ultimately, the drought debate in the Assembly did not provide any new ray of hope to the farmer.

The Lok Satta leaders said it was time both the ruling party and the Opposition pondered why the agriculture sector continued to be in a crisis despite mass loan write-offs, unprecedented free power supply and many subsidy and welfare schemes.

Successive Governments over the years have not made serious efforts to make agriculture a profitable proposition, the Lok Satta leaders charged. The party had suggested the formation of agri-clinics at the rate of one for every 3000 acres to supply inputs like seeds and fertilizers and extend technical services to farmers, handing over of market yards to genuine farmers’ representatives and utilization of market cess for agricultural purposes.

The party wanted the Government to attend to drinking water and fodder shortage, supply seeds and other inputs for alternative crops and and enable farmers to access credit. The Government should also promote dairy farming.

The party drew attention to workers employed under the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme spending a large part of their wages on liquor and demanded closure of belt shops which played havoc with their health and incomes.