'Drought Created by Congress': KTR Demands Rs 60,000 Per Acre for Farmers
BRS leader KTR claims Congress government's failures created a man-made drought in Telangana, demanding Rs 60,0thought
Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) Working President KT Rama Rao (KTR) has launched a scathing attack on the Congress-led government in Telangana, alleging that the state's current agricultural distress is not a natural disaster but a result of administrative failure. During the Rythu Garjana public meeting in Adilabad, KTR demanded that the government provide an immediate payment of Rs 60,000 per acre to farmers.
The Demand for Financial Aid
The BRS leader specified that the demanded amount of Rs 60,000 per acre is intended to cover three pending instalments of Rythu Bandhu, along with the necessary investment assistance for the current Yasangi season. Beyond the land-owning farmers, KTR also urged the government to honour its commitments toward agricultural labourers and tenant farmers who are struggling in the current climate.
'A Man-Made Disaster'
KTR dismissed the notion that nature was to blame for the water scarcity in the region. “This is not a drought caused by nature; this is a drought created by Congress,” he asserted, placing the responsibility squarely on the shoulders of Chief Minister Revanth Reddy's administration.
To support his claim, KTR compared Telangana's situation with neighbouring states. He pointed out that Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka have faced nearly double the rainfall deficit compared to Telangana, yet they are not experiencing the same level of drought conditions. He further argued that the government cannot use the El Niño phenomenon as an excuse for its failures.
Allegations of Water Mismanagement
The BRS leader highlighted several critical lapses in the management of water resources, claiming that the government failed to effectively utilise the waters of the Godavari river. KTR alleged that:
- Nearly one lakh cusecs of water were flowing downstream from the Kannepalli pump house without being lifted.
- Approximately 750 TMC of water went unused due to government inefficiency.
- The administration ignored technical suggestions provided by retired engineers.
Project Failures and Neglect
KTR maintained that if the Palamuru-Rangareddy and Kaleshwaram projects had been managed and utilised properly, not a single acre of farmland in the state would have dried up. Additionally, he criticised the government for its perceived neglect of the canal works associated with the Chanaka-Korata project, further exacerbating the plight of the farming community.