Cong failed to implement poll promises made to farmers in T'gana, says Union Minister Kishan Reddy

Hyderabad, Jan 3 (PTI) Alleging that the ruling government in Telangana has failed to implement its election promises made to farmers, Union Minister G Kishan Reddy on Friday said Congress leader Rahul Gandhi should seek an apology from ryots of the state.

Reddy, who is also president of the BJP in Telangana, charged that the Congress government is not implementing its promises, including crop loan waiver, financial assistance of Rs 15,000 to farmers and tenant farmers and Rs 12,000 assistance to agriculture workers (under 'Rythu Bharosa' scheme) since it came to power more than one year ago.

"Now, they are trying to mislead people in the name of applications for extending the 'Rythu Bharosa' scheme of Rs 15,000," he told PTI Videos.

The loan waiver implemented by the state government is inadequate as the loans of many farmers have not been waived off, he claimed.

Before the Telangana assembly elections last year, the Congress gave six 'guarantees' and about 400 sub-guarantees but nothing has been implemented, he alleged.

"I would like to ask Sonia Gandhi ji, Rahul Gandhi ji. Rahul Gandhi should come to Telangana and meet farmers and seek an apology from them. Because Congress did injustice to farmers," Reddy said.

He said there is no need for the government to seek applications for implementing 'Rythu Bharosa' as the agriculture officers have details about the land and the crops cultivated by the farmers.

The government is trying to dilute the scheme by asking for applications from farmers, he said.

The BJP would protest on the issue by submitting representations to district Collectors and Tahsildars in the second week of January, he said.

Meanwhile, BRS working president K T Rama Rao also attacked the ruling Congress on the implementation of 'Rythu Bharosa'.

Speaking to reporters, he said the Congress, before assembly polls, had announced a 'farmers declaration' in which it made promises of loan waiver, Rs 15,000 financial support to ryots and tenant farmers and others.

"Before elections, Congress announces 'declaration' for farmers. But, now they are seeking affidavit from farmers. Such a strange thing is unheard of," Rao said.

Amid allegations that the ruling Congress is attempting to impose "conditions" on the implementation of 'Rythu Bharosa' scheme, a cabinet sub-committee of the Telangana government on Thursday decided, in principle, to extend the benefit to "every ryot cultivating crops." The committee has decided to conduct 'Gram Sabhas' for three days starting January 5 to receive applications for the scheme and to extensively promote the programme, official sources have said. PTI SJR SJR KH