Telangana farmers are in distress, government indifferent: Congress

NEW DELHI: Slamming the TRS-led government in Telangana over farmer suicides, state Congress committee president Ponnala Lakshmaiah today said ryots in the newly- carved out state were in distress due to poor support to the agriculture sector.

Lakshmaiah, who appraised party chief Sonia Gandhi of the prevailing situation in Telangana, alleged that over 300 farmers have committed suicide in the past four months.

"Farmers are in distress over several reasons such as non-implementation of loan waiver, power cuts and insurance issues," he said after meeting Gandhi here.

Pointing out that there was little support to the farming sector from the Telangana government, he attacked the TRS dispensation saying it was not concentrating on measures to rescue the suffering farmers.

"We would be intensifying our agitations to pressurise the government to take immediate steps to provide relief to farmers in the coming day," Lakshmaiah added.

He further said that he discussed with Gandhi about the prevailing political situation and the membership drive being carried out by the Telangana Congress.