Ongole: Hold Grama Sabhas to identify true cultivators, demand farmers

Ongole (Prakasam District): Prakasam district units of Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangam and Andhra Pradesh Koulu Rythu Sangam demanded the government to conduct grama sabha in every village to recognise the true cultivators including tenant farmers for registration of crop insurance.

AP Rythu Sangam leader Jujjuri Jayanthi Babu presided over the protest organised by farmers in front of the District Collectorate in Ongole on Thursday. Addressing the gathering, he said that chilli farmers suffered huge loss due to thrips. Though scientists visited the district two times and observed the losses, no compensation was paid to farmers till date, he pointed out.

Rythu Sangam district secretary Pamidi Venkata Rao alleged that the implementation of crop insurance scheme in the district is faulty. He said that the agriculture officers have recognised chilli crop as a rain-fed crop and estimated a loss of Rs 3,000 to Rs 6,000 only per acre, but in reality farmers incurred huge loss. He demanded the government to recognise chilli crop as the crop under irrigation canals and implement crop insurance so that they will get Rs 75,000 per acre. He also demanded the government to announce Rs 1,000 as bonus to paddy as in Kerala model.

Other farmers' leaders said that the Union government has announced to double the farmers' income, but reluctant even when they were committing suicides after suffering losses. They said the State government also cheating farmers and tenant farmers.

They demanded the government to recognise the true farmers and tenant farmers cultivating crops and implement crop insurance for them only. Abburi Venkata Reddy, Krishtipati Chinnapareddy, Kolluri Venkateswarlu, Basavapunnaiah, Srikanth and others also participated in the protest.