The Hindu : Kuppam awaiting a slew of sops from Naidu

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Monday, Jan 19, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Kuppam awaiting a slew of sops from Naidu

By Our Staff Reporter

KUPPAM, JAN. 18. The VIP constituency of Kuppam is eagerly awaiting election-eve sops from its legislator and the Chief Minister, N. Chandrababu Naidu. It is understood that people here are expecting an announcement of relief measures, subsidies, waiver and what not, as has been the practice in vogue `once every five years.' Their expectations include an announcement of the launch of `4KR,' the fourth phase of the Israeli irrigation project, which has become synonymous with Kuppam and made the region known all over the country. A formal announcement is expected to be made by Mr. Naidu when he is slated to visit the segment at the end of this month.

Situated at the confluence of AP-Tamil Nadu-Karnataka, the nature-blessed constituency is most congenial for horticulture and floriculture. With the advent of Israeli technology, the drip and sprinkler irrigation became acceptable following which around 10,000 acres of land has been brought under this type of cultivation.

Following a demonstration project, the technology has been expanded to a larger area in the second phase (2KR) and the third phase (3KR). There were many takers for 2KR where the loan component was higher and came easily. There were also allegations of misuse. With the bitter experience, the anomalies have been removed in 3KR under which only those with entrepreneurial skills and commitment, besides the capacity to mobilise working capital, benefited. Now, it is the turn of farmers to expect 4KR, the fourth phase of the project, to be launched as a poll-eve sop to them.

It is learnt that the Government is holding talks with the implementing agencies on procurement of sprinkler and drip equipment fixing targets and finalising rates for farmers. Of the 10,000 acres fixed, farmers owning up to 6,000 acres have already been contacted and convinced to take part in 4KR, it is learnt.

Meanwhile, banks in the cooperative sector, which had lavishly extended loans to farmers in the earlier phases, are now a worried lot with the chances of repayment getting dim. When contacted, a bank official confirmed that repayment of loans had suffered a setback ever since the talk of elections began. "It seems farmers are expecting the Government to announce a waiver. The intelligent among them had stopped paying the amount," he added. These apart, farmers are expecting a shower of sops on a wide range of issues when Mr. Naidu will visit the constituency soon.

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