Telangana BJP Chief Demands Power and PMFBY for Farmers
Telangana BJP President N Ramchander Rao demands uninterrupted power and PMFBY implementation to save crops in Nalgonda.
Telangana Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President N Ramchander Rao has issued a stern demand to the state government, calling for uninterrupted electricity and water supplies to protect farmers from mounting crop losses. During a visit to Nalgonda district, Rao highlighted the dire situation faced by agricultural communities struggling with inadequate irrigation and frequent power cuts.
Ground Reality in Nalgonda
Accompanied by BJP workers, Rao visited the villages of Chinna Madaram and Melladuppalapally to personally assess the devastation caused to local plantations. The visit focused on areas where paddy, cotton, and sweet lime crops have suffered significantly due to the lack of essential resources.
Speaking to the media following his interaction with the affected villagers, Rao pointed out a critical infrastructure gap. He noted that because the Nagarjuna Sagar canal irrigation does not reach these specific rural parts of Nalgonda, farmers are forced to rely heavily on groundwater.
The Electricity Crisis
The reliance on borewells has turned the electricity supply into a matter of survival for local cultivators. Rao raised serious concerns regarding the current distribution of power, stating:
- Farmers are reportedly receiving only two to five hours of electricity daily.
- This is a sharp contrast to the expected 12-hour uninterrupted supply required for effective pumping.
- The lack of consistent power prevents sufficient water from reaching crops across more than one lakh acres.
"With regular power cuts, the crops are not getting enough water," Rao remarked, emphasizing that the survival of paddy, cotton, and sweet lime plantations depends entirely on stable electricity for borewell operations.
Demands for PMFBY Implementation
Beyond immediate electricity needs, the Telangana BJP chief criticized the state government's failure to provide a financial safety net for agricultural losses. Rao specifically highlighted the absence of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) in the state.
He alleged that while the central government provides this insurance scheme, the Telangana government has failed to implement it. Furthermore, he noted that no viable state-level alternative has been introduced to shield farmers from the financial ruin caused by crop damage.
Rao urged the administration to take two immediate steps: ensure consistent power supply for irrigation and implement the PMFBY to provide much-needed relief to the farming community.
Inter-State Water Negotiations
In a parallel development, Telangana Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has been engaging with the central government to resolve long-standing water issues. In a recent meeting in New Delhi with Union Jal Shakti Minister CR Patil, the Chief Minister pressed for assistance in clearing inter-state irrigation hurdles.
Key points of the Chief Minister's discussions included:
- Expediting pending approvals for major water projects in the Krishna and Godavari basins.
- Resolving the proposed construction of the Tummidihetti barrage.
- Facilitating dialogue with the Maharashtra government to move the Tummidihetti barrage proposal forward.