Hyderabad: Former minister and BRS Deputy Floor Leader T. Harish Rao alleged that the Congress government abandoned its Farmer Declaration Promises through recent Cabinet decisions on agriculture.
Addressing a media conference at his Siddipet camp office on Friday, Harish Rao claimed the government had reversed key commitments made to farmers before the Assembly elections. He said the Cabinet decisions effectively buried the Congress Party’s Farmer Declaration on the birthday of Rahul Gandhi.
Farmer Declaration Promises under scrutiny
Harish Rao recalled that Rahul Gandhi had promised a bonus of Rs.500 above the Minimum Support Price for all crops during a public meeting in Warangal. However, he alleged that the present government had made it clear that it would neither provide the promised bonus nor procure all crops produced by farmers.
According to him, the government’s decision to purchase only crops and quantities approved by the Centre represented a betrayal of Telangana farmers. Furthermore, he claimed Congress leaders had repeatedly assured farmers that the State would procure every grain produced in Telangana.
Harish Rao described the latest Cabinet decisions as a complete reversal of those assurances.
Farmer Declaration Promises and procurement concerns
The BRS leader demanded an unconditional apology from the government for what he termed a breach of trust with farmers. He argued that the previous BRS government procured crops irrespective of Central procurement policies and ensured remunerative prices for farmers.
Referring to recent remarks by Irrigation Minister N. Uttam Kumar Reddy, Harish Rao alleged that crops such as maize and sorghum could lose procurement support if the Centre declined to procure them.
Moreover, he questioned the government’s policy on pulses and oilseeds, including red gram, green gram, Bengal gram and sunflower. He asked how farmers would sustain themselves if authorities procured only a portion of their produce and left the remaining crop for sale in private markets.
Harish Rao also claimed that Telangana achieved a record paddy production of 92 lakh metric tonnes during the BRS administration because the State actively supported procurement operations.
In addition, he accused both the BJP-led Central Government and the Congress-led State Government of creating difficulties in fertiliser distribution. He criticised the app-based urea supply system and alleged that farmers were not receiving adequate quantities despite higher crop requirements.