Jagan's anti-farmer policies sabotaging state's irrigation projects: Naidu

Mr. Naidu said Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy had failed to provide irrigation water for even a single acre of land during his two-year rule. The progress made so far has been reversed in the name of re-tendering and the YSRCP government has not even spent Rs. 1,000 crore on irrigation projects ever since it came to power in 2019, he alleged, adding that the Galeru Nagari project was shelved and works on Handri Neeva were stopped.

In a statement, the TDP chief asserted that during the TDP regime the network of water ponds was strengthened but the present government has not taken care of even a single tank, neither has it taken up any maintenance or repair work. The farmers are facing problems because of the state's negligence, Mr. Naidu alleged, while claiming that the TDP had dug over eight lakh farm ponds only in the Anantapur district when it was on the verge of turning into a desert.

Mr. Naidu pointed out how his government had made all possible efforts to provide full water supply to each and every acre in the state. "It was NTR who provided a ray of hope by launching the Telugu Ganga project to prevent Rayalaseema from turning into a land of rocks and stones. If the projects were neglected as is being done by the present regime, it would take at least 100 years to complete them," he said.

The TDP chief demanded the government focus on agriculture and ensure remunerative prices to the farmers. Seed supply has stopped in the state while farmer suicides have gone up because of lack of support, he said, while accusing the YSRCP of spending funds on its publicity campaigns rather than farmers' welfare.

Mr. Naidu asked the government to explain if it had acquired a single acre for the Polavaram Project and whether rehabilitation works had started. He said the TDP had achieved 11 per cent growth rate in agriculture consecutively for five years. At that time, the YSRCP leaders had spread falsehoods on 'Sunna Vaddi' with the Assembly as the witness to their malicious propaganda, he said.

Recalling the TDP's commitment, Mr. Naidu asserted that Polavaram and Amaravati were like the two eyes for the future development of the state. Already, the YSRCP has knocked one eye by stopping the Amaravati works, the TDP chief said.

Mr. Naidu dared the Chief Minister to list out home much funds was spent on which irrigation project in the past two years. While the TDP remained accountable to the people, the Jagan Reddy regime is going forward with its anarchic and maniacal policies, he said, adding Jagan had stopped the mega seed park that was to be developed in Kurnool.