The Treasury benches on Wednesday tore into Opposition Telugu Desam Party (TDP) on debt redemption scheme launched by it, and financial assistance/bank loans to the farmers during its five-year rule in the State.
The YSRCP legislators made a scathing attack on the previous government when the TDP MLAs sought to know about farming investments to ryots in the State during Question Hour in the Assembly.
They alleged that the TDP government duped the farmers with a false promise of loan waiver. The farmers were at crossroads owing to the poor implementation of the debt redemption scheme, they alleged.
The TDP members urged the Speaker to give a chance to Leader of the Opposition N. Chandrababu Naidu to speak on the debt redemption scheme, but in vain. They were on their feet demanding justice and resorted to sloganeering, but Speaker Tammineni Sitaram did not heed their request. Subsequently, the TDP members staged a walk-out.
Earlier, Chief Minister Y. S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said the “question would be sealed” once the Minister gave his reply. But, the TDP members were making an issue out of nothing. The YSRCP was committed to implementing every word and every line in its election manifesto. He requested the Chair to wind up debate over the issue soon as the oath-taking ceremony of Governor was slated for the day.
Trouble broke out when TDP MLA Anagani Satya Prasad, who represents Repalle, sought to know whether the investment support of ₹12,500 to each farmer included ₹6,000 assistance announced by the Centre.
Referring to the YSRCP electoral promise, he insisted that the government should pay ₹12,500 without clubbing it with the Central assistance.
Municipal Administration Minister Botcha Satyanarayana, replying on behalf of Agriculture Minister K. Kanna Babu, said the government would pay ₹12,500 at one go. He, however, did not clarify whether the amount included central assistance.
Intervening, Finance Minister Buggana Rajendranath Reddy said the debt redemption scheme was flagship programme of the TDP government. It was supposed to pay ₹87,000 crore to the farmers if its promise made in run-up to elections was to be considered. But the amount was conveniently brought down to ₹24,000 crore. The previous government did not release sufficient budget even for it. Mere ₹16,592 crore was allocated during five-year rule. Of this, only ₹15,279 crore was paid to the farmers, he pointed out.