Farmers disappointed by Budget, says TRS MP Kavitha

The Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS) on Thursday urged termed Union Budget 2018 as a disappointment for farmers.

Taking part in the Budget discussion in the Lok Sabha, TRS MP K. Kavitha said the Union Budget 2018 in no way reflect the government intentions to double income of farmers by 2022.

"Farmers are disappointed with Budget 2018. Since first budget, you (government) said you'll work for farmers and double their income by 2022 but this budget is disappointment in that direction," Kavitha said.

She added that the government does not have a strategy to double the income of farmers by 2022.

"Whenever a government takes a stand then it prepares a strategy for it, allocates supporting Budget for it, formulates policies for it but apart from talks of doubling income of farmers, we do not see any supportive budget and policies ," Kavitha said.

She added that the government achieved target of ease of doing business by a proper strategy like the Goods and Services Tax (GST) and other economic reforms.

"But, why do not you have such approach in the agriculture sector?" the TRS MP asked.

She said the Lok Sabha passed 31 bills in last four years for business and industry but only two bills for the agriculture sector.

"The government did not touch Pesticide Bill, 1968. Nabard Bill, Seed Bill, and Cold Storage Bill are pending. I fail to understand that without proper policy how income of farmers would be doubled," Kavitha wondered.

She questioned, "When government stands with industry from startups to corporate level then why cannot it stand with farmers from sowing to sale of their produce?"

The TRS MP from Nizamabad also raised question on the fertilizer policy of the government.

"In 2016-17 budget, the government had promised to transfer fertilizer subsidy of Rs. 70000 crore direct to the farmers instead of the fertilizer companies. What has happened to that promise?" she asked.

She also raised the issue of fertilizer production in the country.

"Only three companies import fertilizer in this country. Nobody understands why is it so? Due to this, it takes 60-70 days to import fertilizers and farmers suffer," the TRS MP said.

She also said that the government was not doing enough to increase the irrigation facility as "it allocated only Rs 35000 crore for irrigation in last five years (including this budget)".

She demanded to give Minimum Support Price (MSP) to all crops instead of only 26 crops.

She exhorted the Centre to shake up the system to double the income of farmers.

The TRS MP also demanded the government to honour all the promises related to the AP Reorganisation Act.

Kavitha also supported the protest by the Telugu Desam Party (TDP) and YSR Congress Party MPs and urged the government to address the issue.

The TDP and YSRP MPs have been protesting for ignoring Andhra Pradesh's demands in Union Budget 2018-19.