''Artificial shortage'' of urea in Andhra becomes Rs 250 cr scam: YSRCP chief Jagan

Amaravati, Sep 10 (PTI) Lashing out at Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for the "shortage" in urea supply to farmers, YSRCP chief Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Wednesday alleged that the artificial scarcity of the fertiliser has resulted in a scam of Rs 200- Rs 250 crore.

Addressing a press conference, Jagan claimed that the police threatened to register cases against YSRCP leaders who took part in the protests organised by his party on Tuesday.

Alleging that farmers are not receiving adequate support prices for their produce in the state, Jagan said it has driven them to "suicide".

“It is evident that the fertiliser is being diverted to the black market, creating scarcity. With the encouragement and involvement of Chandrababu Naidu, its sale in the black market has turned into a scam worth Rs 200–Rs 250 crore. The ill-gotten money is being distributed from the top to the bottom (of the leadership),” the former CM alleged.

Listing out the prices of various commodities, he claimed that the previous YSRCP government had always intervened and supported farmers when prices dropped.

Referring to the state government’s decision to develop 10 medical colleges under the PPP model, Jagan alleged that government assets were being sold for peanuts by Naidu’s administration. PTI MS GDK ROH