Former Agriculture Minister and YSR Congress Party (YSRCP) Nellore district president, Kakani Govardhan Reddy, has strongly criticized Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu for his government’s inaction in providing financial relief to farmers severely impacted by Cyclone Montha. Speaking to the media on Saturday, Reddy expressed his dismay at the lack of support for those who have lost their crops.
Reddy accused the ruling coalition government of deliberately ignoring the desperate situation of cyclone-hit farmers. He stated, “The NDA government utterly failed in implementing any precautionary measures ahead of the cyclone. Furthermore, they are shamelessly attempting to portray the Chief Minister as an efficient crisis manager, despite the clear shortcomings.”
He highlighted that while Chief Minister Naidu and IT Minister Nara Lokesh were reportedly on international trips “to curry favor with the public,” Agriculture Minister K. Atchannaidu seemingly did not take sufficient action to assist the affected agricultural community. Reddy challenged the government, asking, “What concrete steps have been taken to support our people? What comprehensive plan is in place to provide essential compensation?”
Drawing a stark contrast, Reddy reminded everyone of the YSRCP government’s proactive approach to farmer welfare. “During our five-year tenure, we consistently stood by farmers, implementing vital programs such as e-crop registration, providing free crop insurance, and establishing a robust price stabilization fund. A significant amount of nearly ₹7,802 crore was disbursed as compensation to farmers for crop losses through our insurance scheme,” he asserted, adding that the current NDA government has unfortunately discontinued these crucial schemes.
Reddy urged the State government to immediately provide compensation to all farmers affected by the cyclone, irrespective of their political affiliations. He issued a stern warning that if his demands are not met, he would stand shoulder-to-shoulder with the farmers and escalate the protest “to any necessary extent.” He also invited leaders from the coalition parties to engage in a public debate on this critical issue.