The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Ryots fume over MSP, fertilizer issues

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Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Ryots fume over MSP, fertilizer issues

Rail roko staged in Hyderabad; Agriculture Department’s office ransacked in Sadasivapet

Contrary to official claims, fertilizer stock fails to arrive at Sadasivapet
Protest staged in several places in Adilabad against shortage of seed, fertilizers

PHOTO: P.V.SIVAKUMAR

Burning issue: Activists of the Opposition parties and farmers staging a protest at Secunderabad railway station on Thursday. -

HYDERABAD: Farmers wings of the opposition parties have reiterated their demand for enhancement of minimum support price for paddy to Rs. 1,000 and said they would continue the agitation till their demand was conceded.

Activists and leaders of the farmers’ wings of TDP, CPI, CPI (M), TRS and BJP staged ‘rail roko’ in Secunderabad station on Thursday delaying the departure of the New Delhi-bound Andhra Pradesh Express on Thursday morning. They raised slogans criticising the Government’s `indifference’ in increasing the MSP in tune with the rising input costs of paddy farmers.

CPI State secretary K. Narayana who led the protest deplored the Centre for not enhancing the MSP despite the agitations launched since the past six months. The State government’s failure to provide fertilizers and seeds to farmers was resulting in anxiety to farmers, he said adding the CPI would take up ‘direct action’ if the government fails to take immediate steps to redress farmers’ issues.

CPI-affiliated Ryotu Sangham president K. Ramakrishna lamented that the Centre refused to announce Rs. 1,000 a quintal MSP for paddy despite the recommendation made by the Commission for Agriculture Costs and Prices and a unanimous resolution passed by the State Assembly demanding Rs. 1,088 MSP. This reflected the “anti-farmer” attitude of the UPA coalition.

TDP’s Telugu Rythu leader Ch. Muthyam Reddy, TRS representative Nayani Narsimha Reddy and CPI (M) affiliated Rythu Sangham leaders S. Rama Rao and S. Malla Reddy also spoke.

Collector’s assurance

Sangareddy Staff Reporter writes: Angry farmers who have been waiting for fertilizers for the past three days ransacked the Assistant Director of Agriculture office in Sadasivapet on Thursday. Following the assurance of the Revenue officials that sufficient quantity of fertilizer would be arriving in agriculture market yard, farmers kept a vigil right from Thursday morning. With no sign of fertilizer nor the agriculture staff the irate farmers broke the furniture in the AD’s office.

In a press release district Collector Piyush Kumar informed that steps would be initiated on war-footing to mitigate the problem of fertilizer shortage. He announced that two distribution centres would be opened in each mandal.

He held discussions with the Agriculture Department, Markfed and Cooperation and urged them to strictly monitor distribution at each centres. He wanted progress reports on a day-to-day basis. He made it clear that no advance payment in the shape of demand drafts should be accepted from the farmers for the fertilizers. The bankers were directed to hand over loan waiver certificates by June 25 and also grant new loans for the Kharif.

Farmers get restless

Adilabad Staff Reporter adds: Farmers staged protests demanding supply of fertilizers at various places in Adilabad district keeping police on tenterhooks on Thursday. Irate among them damaged some furniture in the Adilabad Primary Agriculture Cooperative Society (APCS) at Tirpally where the sale of fertilizer was on. Farmers started getting restless in the long queue they had formed at the APCS since morning when they sensed that there was no adequate quantity of fertilizer on sale. Demanding fertilizer in adequate quantity they damaged some furniture. Later they staged a rasta roko on the NH 7 and relented only when officials from Agriculture Department assured of adequate supply. At Kapparla village in Tamsi mandal farmers staged a rasta roko in protest against no stocks. At Gudihatnoor mandal head quarter village farmers blocked the NH 7.

State criticised

Nizamabad Staff Reporter adds: All party leaders and workers staged a rasta roko near RTC bus depot demanding an MSP of Rs.1,000 per quintal of paddy and supply of seed and other inputs to farmers.

TDP secretary A. Narsa Reddy accused the government of playing with the lives of farmers.

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