Markapuram: TDP for linking agri works to NREGS

Markapuram (Prakasam district): TDP national president N Chandrababu Naidu urged the Union government to link agriculture works under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). He observed that the linkage will benefit the farmers and farm workers. The TDP organised a cordial meeting with the farmers here on Friday afternoon, in which Chandrababu Naidu promised to make agriculture a profitable profession again.

On the third and final day of the campaign tour 'Idem Kharma Mana Rashtraniki' in Prakasam district, Naidu listened to the woes of the farmers and assured them that the TDP will prepare the manifesto for 2024 with solutions to their problems. He said that making the farmer a rich man is his motto, but the Chief Minister imposed a loan burden of Rs 2.45 lakh on each of the farmers. "The Rs 10 lakh crore loan of the state should be cleared only by the people themselves in one form or the other, not by either Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy or myself," he said, adding that he worked on the linkage of rivers because he is the son of a farmer and knows the value of water for agriculture.

Naidu advised farmers to use evolving technology to earn more. Just like the cabs and bikes are booked for a ride, the farmers also can sell their produce with e-trading and rent their vehicles like tractors and other farm machinery. He asked them to focus on the type of crop that best suits their soil, according to the season and demand. He advised them to reduce the use of pesticides as they damage health and suggested using drones for the efficient spray of pesticides and insecticides.

The TDP national president said that he will not sleep until he achieves the goals he set. He said that his efforts in Hyderabad made it the City of Billionaires, but the dream of building a world-class capital was ruined by Jagan Mohan Reddy.

He said that the local farmers pooled 34,000 acre land, but they are being harassed and sent to jails by the Chief Minister. He said that sprinklers, harvesters, tractors, and other machinery were given to the farmers on subsidy during his rule, cold storages were constructed, solar pump sets installed, and crop insurance was provided, but Jagan Mohan Reddy cheated them.

After the interaction with the farmers, Chandrababu Naidu announced that he will consider the suggestions and advice from them in preparing the manifesto. He said that he has plans to make agriculture profitable and stand by the farmers until their lives are transformed.

Parchur MLA Yeluri Sambasiva Rao presided over the interaction meeting, while Kondapi MLA Dola Sri Bala Veeranjaneya Swamy, Kanigiri former MLA Dr Mukku Ugra Narasimha Reddy, Damacharla Satya and others also participated in the meeting.