Naidu: Paddy dues crossed Rs 4K crore, ryots badly hit

VIJAYAWADA: Leader of the Opposition N Chandrababu Naidu has alleged that farmers are facing extreme problems because of the inordinate delay in payment of paddy procurement dues. The government, he said, has failed to ensure remunerative prices for different crops.

In a letter addressed to Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Thursday, Naidu said paddy dues have reached over Rs 4,000 crore. Payments were not being made to the farmers in East Godavari, West Godavari, Krishna, Guntur and Prakasam districts.

“Clearing the dues is necessary as the farmers were badly hit financially due to successive cyclones and natural calamities. It is alarming that the food grain dues to be paid by the government are mounting day by day,” he said.The TDP chief claimed that during the previous TDP regime, the procurement-related cash used to be deposited in the respective accounts of the farmers within 48 hours.