Nalgonda: Telangana State Legislative Council Chairman Gutha Sukender Reddy on Sunday said the three farms laws brought by the Centre would add to the financial burden on States besides impacting farmers adversely.
He hoped that Prime Minister Narendra Modi will find an amicable solution to the farmers’ agitation at a meeting planned with the farmers’ associations leaders on December 29.
Speaking at a media conference here, Sukender Reddy said the agitation by farmers from North Indian States had reached 30 days and they were continuing with their stir despite the cold weather. Indirectly referring to arguments of some political parties that only farmers from North India were participating in the protest, he said the situation of farmers in the north was different from farmers in South India. “Only Telangana government is purchasing crops from farmers till the until last grain. Farmers in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh get prices that are much lower than the Minimum Support Price for paddy unlike farmers in our State,” he said.
Sukender Reddy, expressing displeasure over the decision of the Centre to bring Public Distribution System under its purview from the States’ list, said as per the new farm laws, States should purchase 75 per cent of the paddy and pulses and the Centre would purchase only 25 percent, which will cause financial burden on State governments.
He also said the Electricity (Amendment) Bill-2020 of the Centre was a hurdle for the 24 hours free electricity supply to farmers being implemented in Telangana State. “The Union government should take decisions keeping in mind the interests of the people,” he said.
He urged the Centre to discuss with the state governments and farmers and take their suggestions on the new farm laws. Until then, the implementation of new farm laws should be suspended, he added.
Replying to a question, he said he has no intention to contest in by-elections to Nagarjuna Sagar Assembly constituency. He would not talk about political issues while holding a Constitutional post. He reminded that wife of Devarakonda MLA Ragya Naik was unanimously elected to Legislative Assembly when the sitting MLA was killed by Naxalites in 2001.
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