Nalgonda: Former minister and Siddipet MLA Harish Rao has accused Chief Minister Revanth Reddy of focusing more on liquor sales than on addressing key issues affecting the public.
During his visit to a paddy procurement center in Marriguda, Munugode constituency of Nalgonda district, Rao criticized the government for not pushing officials or millers to buy paddy from farmers. Instead, he said, the government was issuing memos to excise officials, pressuring them to increase liquor sales. According to Rao, 25 circle inspectors had already received such memos.
The BRS leader also pointed out that the government had failed to fulfill promises made to women during the election campaign. He mentioned that the promises included giving every woman Rs. 2,500 and providing them with Rs. 1 lakh in interest-free loans, none of which had materialized.
Rao expressed concern that the state was being flooded with liquor, which, he claimed, was harming poor households the most. He accused the CM of caring only about generating revenue, without considering the welfare of the people.
Additionally, Rao shared his disappointment that no discussions were being held about the issues farmers are facing, such as receiving investment support, loan waivers, timely bonuses, or the establishment of procurement centers.
He noted that although the government had announced plans to purchase 9 million metric tonnes of grain, the current situation suggested that they would not even reach 4 million metric tonnes. He said that middlemen from neighboring states were coming into Telangana and exploiting paddy farmers by offering lower prices.
Rao also reminded the public that the CM had sworn on the deity of Yadagirigutta Lakshmi Narasimha Swamy and promised a loan waiver of Rs. 2 lakh for farmers, but had failed to deliver on that promise after assuming power.
Under Revanth Reddy’s leadership, Rao claimed, farmers were suffering badly. The government, he said, had not only failed in purchasing paddy but also in the procurement of cotton.
On behalf of the BRS, Rao demanded that the Congress government fulfill its promise of providing Rs. 15,000 under the ‘Rythu Bandhu’ scheme to farmers.