Govt to provide relief to families of deceased farmers: AP CM

Hyderabad, Sep 13 (UNI) Denying Telugu Desam Party (TDP)'s charge that over 3,300 farmers had committed suicide during the Congress rule, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Rajasekhara Reddy today said the state would get Rs 15,000 crore from the Centre to provide relief to the families of over 1500 peasants, who ended their lives.

Talking to newspersons here he alleged that during the previous TDP Government, a large number of farmers had committed suicide, unlike in the present Congress Government. ''There is no need for my Government to hide the figures as we are providing compensation to all the affected families'', he added.

He said the State would get an immediate relief of Rs 5,000 crore, including Rs 1470 crore towards waiver of interest on loans advanced to farmers and Rs 900 crore to ensure 100 per cent seed replacement on farms to improve productivity. The Centre would provide Rs 10,000 crore to those irrigation projects for which Central Water Commission had accorded clearance, he added.

He said the Government was taking steps to ensure that up hydel power generation benefits farmers. The Government had taken up with its own funds the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme((NREGS) in drought-hit districts, he added.

Dr Reddy lauded the progress of the INDIRAMMA housing programme and said 23 to 24 lakh houses would be completed by March, next year.

He said he would personally monitor the implementation of NDIRAMMA the NREGS and the Indira Kranti schemes every month. The District Collectors would review their progress every fortnight, he added.

UNI SM KVV AK DB1907