'Double digit growth only if agri sector fared well in T'gana'

The main opposition Congress in Telangana today said the state can achieve double digit growth if agriculture sector also fared well.

Congress member G Chinna Reddy expressed displeasure over the performance of farm sector under the TRS rule.

Speaking in the Legislative Assembly, Reddy said, "The agriculture area (under cultivation) has come down and production too has dropped, the budget this year (allocation) is Rs 5,299 crore.

"Why a cut has been made in this budget (for agriculture)? It should have been increased from last year's Rs 6,600 crore."

"Government says we will achieve double digit growth. That will happen only if agriculture also grows," Reddy, who initiated debate on the Voting of Demands for Grants for 2017-18 as part of discussion on annual budget said.
 

Noting that the Centre has asked states to effectively distribute soil health cards to farmers, Reddy said the state government should set up a soil testing lab in every district (total 31).

The Palamuru-Ranga Reddy and Kaleswaram irrigation projects have been moving at a snail's pace, he alleged.

Stating that the farmers would have got relief had the government implemented its farm loan waiver promise in the first year of its rule (2014) itself, he maintained that the disbursement of loans by banks has also been far from satisfactory.

Talking about the TRS government's ambitious plan to distribute 84 lakh sheeps to promote sheep rearing, Reddy referred to his party colleague (MLA) Vamsichand Reddy's calculation that 84 lakh sheep may not be available for distribution.

The state government had presented a tax-free, welfare-oriented budget focusing on irrigation and reviving traditional occupations of backward classes for 2017-18 with a proposed expenditure of nearly Rs 1.50 lakh crore.

Hailing the budget and the good work done by state government, ruling TRS member V Srinivas Goud said law and order is under control due to the effective measures taken by the government.