PM failed to protect farmers' interests: Naidu

Vijayawada, May 5 : TDP President N Chandrababu Naidu today alleged Prime Minister Manmohan Singh had totally failed to protect the interests of farmers and poor people of the country.

Addressing a press meet here, he said the Centre and the state government had not made efforts to ensure that the results of reforms reached them. ''Instead of focussing on construction of irrigation projects in the state, the state government should come to the rescue of poor people and farmers who were in distress,'' he added.

Farmers were not getting remunerative or minimum support price for their produce, he said, adding that farmers suicides were on the rise. There was no regulatory mechanism, he said.

Mr Naidu said the main aim of his two-day visit to the district was to get closer to leaders and workers, which he could not do when he was Chief Minister. He had already covered eight districts including Krishna district and in the next few days he would cover the remaining districts.

The TDP chief said the price of essential commodities had skyrocketed as had the cost of petroluem products. The price of LPG had risen and supply of gas connections had been stopped.

During his tenure, he had distributed 87 lakh gas connections to below poverty line (BPL) families, Mr Naidu said.

The TDP president alleged the state government was not supplying essential commodities in fair price shops. He had set up 100 bazaars on a pilot basis but now the government wanted privatisation.

UNI