Centre adopting anti-farmer policies, running away from social responsibility: Telangana CM

Slamming the Bharatiya Janata party-led Centre, Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Tuesday said the central government is adopting anti-farmer policies and running away from its social responsibility.

CM KCR dared Union minister Kishan Reddy to convince Centre to procure Par Boiled rice.

Briefing media persons, the chief minister said, "Instead of taking the responsibility of food grain procurement, storage, food security and public distribution system, the Center is running away from its social responsibility. It is refusing the purchase of rice from Telangana. There would be no paddy purchase by the Centre in the State during the summer. The BJP government said they will not buy parboiled rice. But we have already bought it from farmers by paying them."

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrasekhara Rao addressed a press meet after the Telangana cabinet meeting. CM KCR made a clear statement on grain purchases in Yasangi.

Rao said the Centre was responsible for keeping buffer stock of paddy grain.

"The central government is adopting anti-farmer policies and was neglecting its social responsibility. It is confusing the people with its policies. The BJP government is responsible for the death of 750 farmers in the country," he stated.

The chief minister said Union Minister G Kishan Reddy has to convince the Centre to buy boiled rice from Telangana.

Further attacking the Centre over the issue of inflation and fuel price rise, he said, "Crude oil prices have been dropped and yet Centre increases petrol and diesel prices. At the same time, the BJP government is asking us to decrease the Value Added Tax."

Referring to the reports of the Global Hunger Index, Rao said, "Of 106 nations, India is at 101st place. India's place was 96 in 2006. Global Hunger Index is spitting on us. Give free rice to the people if there is an excess of rice."

( With inputs from ANI )