Farmers will receive all support; asserts Atchanna

Vijayawada: Agriculture minister K Atchannaidu on Monday said the state government is taking all necessary measures to support farmers who recently suffered crop losses due to unseasonal rains.

The minister stated that officials have already begun assessing the damage to ensure timely compensation and noted that banana, maize, papaya, and paddy crops were affected in certain areas due to unexpected downpours.

“Over the past five years, farmers who incurred losses due to unseasonal rains were never compensated under the previous YSRCP government. Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy spent thousands of crores on luxuries while farmers were left helpless,” Atchannaidu said in a press release.

He further said that banana farmers would receive an input subsidy of Rs 35,000 per hectare, along with an additional Rs 75,000 per hectare for replanting, bringing the total financial assistance to Rs 1.1 lakh.

Officials have already visited Anantapur, Sri Satyasai, YSR Kadapa, and Prakasam districts, and the enumeration process will soon commence in other regions, he added.

Furthermore, the minister criticised YSRCP chief, questioning whether he had only now recognised the plight of Pulivendula’s banana farmers. He accused the former chief minister of “ignoring” their suffering for years while the YSRCP remained indifferent.

“While banana farmers watched their hard-earned produce go to waste, Jagan government shamelessly squandered Rs 3,000 crore on painting government buildings in YSRCP colours,” he alleged.