KTR calls for statewide protest tomorrow
"The Centre is blindly opposing the act of Telangana government without considering benefits such works accrue to farmers," KTR .
Hyderabad: In protest against the Union government’s objection to construct the grain drying platforms under Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in Telangana, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) working president KT Rama Rao gave a call for protest at all district headquarters on Friday.
Terming the Centre’s action as vengeful, KT Rama Rao said that the construction of agri-produce drying platforms would benefit farmers in large extent but the Centre was showing discrimination towards Telangana.
“While the Centre is allowing those States who are having the coastal lines to build fish drying platforms under the NREGS works, why it is raising the objections to other States for the construction of drying platforms,” KTR questioned.
He also found fault with the union government for serving a notice to the Telangana government asking to return Rs.151 crore spent on the construction of dry platforms under the NREGS scheme and for spreading misinformation against the Telangana stating that the State is diverting the funds in the name of constructing the drying platforms.
“The Centre is blindly opposing the act of Telangana government without considering benefits such works accrue to farmers,” KTR said. The IT and Industries Minister reminded that the State government and the BRS party had requested the Centre on several occasions, seeking the integration of agriculture and allied activities with the NREGS, but in vain.
He also pointed out that at a time when employment opportunities have come down after COVID and the rural economy is in crisis, the Centre has reduced funds allotted to the NREGS and have imposed various rules.
Stating that the union government has prevented the Telangana State from constructing about 79,000 drying platforms at the cost of Rs 750 crores, he questioned, ” what is wrong if the Employment Guarantee Scheme benefits farmers,”.
KTR demanded to include the agriculture and allied works in the Scheme and said that this move would be helpful to more farmers.
