Former Chief Minister and YSRCP President YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday launched a scathing attack on the coalition government, accusing it of abandoning farmers at a time of severe agricultural distress. Visiting cyclone-affected areas in Krishna district and interacting with farmers who lost crops, he demanded immediate payment of crop insurance compensation along with the pending dues.
Jagan blamed Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu for dismantling the crop insurance system, forcing farmers to suffer huge losses. “It was Chandrababu who discontinued crop insurance. Now, he must pay the compensation along with the ₹600 crore arrears and also ensure premium payment for the upcoming Rabi season,” he said.
Alleging major discrepancies in crop damage assessment, Jagan said the enumeration process was rushed and manipulated to reduce the extent of loss. “Officials were asked to finish the enumeration in a single day. Farmers across all 25 districts are saying no official visited their fields,” he noted, adding that damage to nearly 15 lakh acres was under-reported to avoid compensation.
Jagan said paddy farmers suffered the most, with 11 lakh acres sown this season, while cotton, banana, maize, and other standing crops were devastated by Cyclone Montha. “Instead of standing with farmers, Chandrababu does an aerial survey and flies off to London. His son goes to Mumbai to watch a cricket match. Farmers are left helpless,” he criticised.
The YSRCP chief pointed out that in 18 months of coalition rule, Andhra Pradesh witnessed 16 natural disaster,s but the government remained indifferent. He accused the administration of failing to deliver even the promised ₹20,000 input subsidy, giving only ₹5,000 and now “trying to scale down crop-loss figures”.
Recalling his government’s track record, Jagan said the YSRCP had ensured timely crop insurance payouts, operationalized Rythu Bharosa Kendras, created a ₹3,000 crore Price Stabilization Fund, and paid premiums for 85 lakh farmers. “Today, only 19 lakh farmers are covered because they took bank loans. The rest are abandoned,” he said, demanding crop insurance for all cultivators.
Calling the ongoing enumeration “armchair governance,” he cited inflated e-cropping figures of up to 120% in Bapatla as proof of irregularities.
“We will take up this fight if justice is not done,” Jagan asserted, vowing to stand by farmers until compensation reaches every affected family.
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