Surprising over Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu attempt to fix growth rate without any base, the YSR Congress Party deplored that the just concluded Collectors’ Meet has failed to discuss the people’s issue, more so that of farmers

Party senior leader and former minister Botsa Satyanarayana said that the extent of sowing operations this rabi season has drastically fallen and there seems to be no discussion or any action plan to mitigate the suffering of the farmers.

Instead, he deplored that the conference focused on fixing higher growth rate without fulfilling the basic norms and indicators of growth were not taken into account as the state has failed to look into the slide of agriculture sector this rabi season.

According to YSRCP, the growth indicators always would be agricultural output, industrial production and income from service sector. While farmers are under duress with the failure of waiving agriculture loans and the State having a poor opinion on farm sector and industrial development not visible, the growth rate remains a mirage and this cannot be vouched for immediately.

He said that while the average extent of sowing during rabi season has been over 14 lakh hectares but this time around it has fallen to just over 9 lakh hectares, as per the government data, which shows how pathetic the condition of agriculture is in the state, despite the tall claims of the State on the growth rate, of which agriculture is a prime component.

He demanded that the farmers issue should be considered immediately as they are facing hardships for the rabi crop and demonetization as it has become difficult to pay the labour, he said.