Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur   

`Announce subsidy on groundnut seed'

Staff Reporter

Rationale behind `foisting' cases against Left leaders, activists questioned

ANANTAPUR: The CPI urged the State Government to announce the rate and the amount of subsidy on groundnut seed to be supplied to farmers in Anantapur and other districts.

Talking to newspersons here on Tuesday, State president of Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham and former legislator K. Ramakrishna and district secretary of the party M.V. Ramana asked the Government to announce the rate and subsidy based on the actual price in the open market. Supply of groundnut seed should commence as early as possible to avoid rush, they suggested.

They also urged the Government to pay the subsidy amount to farmers who are willing to purchase the seed on their own in the open market.

The quantity of seed to be given should also be enhanced at least to quantity sufficient for sowing in five acres, they said.

Nexus

The leaders alleged the nexus of traders, middlemen and officials has

resulted in payment of Rs. 760 per quintal, over the market rate, for procuring groundnut seed last year. Thus, they have deceived farmers though the Government had given subsidy. The farmers should be given freedom of purchasing seed from the Government or from the open market with subsidy, they suggested.

On the Chief Minister Y.S. Rajasekhara Reddy's call to the Left parties to end their `Bhoo Poratam'as the Government has been doing it by distributing agriculture lands and house sites to all eligible poor, the leaders said people would not have rallied behind the Left parties had the Government been sincere in its efforts.

They also questioned the rationale behind foisting cases against the Left leaders and activists participating in the land struggle, including State secretary of CPI(M) B.V. Raghavulu.

Implement panel report

The CPI leaders further demanded the Government to implement all recommendations of the Koneru Ranga Rao Committee.

Contesting the claims of Revenue Minister D. Prasada Rao that only 3.5 lakh acres of 50 lakh acres assigned to the poor is in illegal possession, they said that nearly 12 lakh acres is in ineligible hands. Sincerity is required in reclaiming the occupied lands, they said.

Printer friendly page  
Send this article to Friends by E-Mail

Stories in this Section

`Announce subsidy on groundnut seed'
CPI(M) bid to stage 36-hour protest foiled

Copyright © 2007, The Hindu. Republication or redissemination of the contents of this screen are expressly prohibited without the written consent of The Hindu