Andhra farmers' group alleges govt policies 'mirage' for rural development
Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangham, a farmers' organisation, has alleged that the policies of the BJP-led Central government and the TDP-led State government have made development a 'mirage' for farmers and rural communities. Former state secretary V. Srinivasa Rao made the remarks on Sunday during the third day of the organisation's 23rd state conference in Eluru.
Rao claimed that agriculture and farmers' livelihoods are under serious threat due to land acquisition, absence of remunerative prices for crops, and policies favouring corporate interests. He urged the organisation to build a broader farmers' movement from the village level and to involve youth in future struggles.
He alleged that vast tracts of farmland acquired for industries have remained unused, with neither industries being established nor jobs created. Rao demanded that such lands be restored for agricultural cultivation if projects are not implemented within six months. He also blamed successive governments for the decline of cooperative institutions, including sugar factories, dairies, and spinning mills.
Rao claimed that farmers receive fewer subsidies compared to corporate companies, which are offered higher subsidies. He cited solar power projects as an example, alleging that farmers receive only about ₹30,000 per acre annually while companies earn substantial profits. He accused governments of framing policies that benefit corporates and real estate interests at the cost of cultivators.
The farmer leader also criticised proposed river-linking projects, alleging they are intended to divert irrigation water for industrial use, and demanded completion of pending irrigation works. He called on farmers to organise united struggles against anti-farmer policies and urged people to ensure that no eligible voter is excluded during the ongoing Special Intensive Revision of electoral rolls.
