Increase relief for Andhra chilli farmers: Congress to Centre

Hanumantha Rao, the Congress MP from Telangana on Thursday requested the Central government to increase the relief amount for chilli farmers from Rs. 5000 per quintal to Rs. 10,000.

"The central government should increase the relief amount from Rs. 5000 per quintal to Rs. 10,000, as this will give some relief to the farmers," Rao told ANI.

He further said the Telangana Rashtra Samithi (TRS)-led state government is full of contradictions.

"On one hand it is giving 10 percent reservation to tribals and then their ministers are calling protesting farmers as hooligans. Farmers provide food for the people of Telangana and the government is putting these farmers and tribals in jail," he added.

Earlier this week the Centre had ordered the clearance of the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) with immediate effect to help distressed chilli farmers in Andhra Pradesh, under which the Centre will buy chillies at Rs. 5,000 per quintal till May 31.

Earlier, leaders and public representatives from Andhra Pradesh Hari Babu, along with a delegation of MPs met Union Minister, M. Venkaiah Naidu requested for his intervention in the matter.

Following detailed discussions and submission of data and statistics, the Government said that it would rescue both the states under MIS.

The Centre has ordered the clearance of the Market Intervention Scheme (MIS) with immediate effect to help distressed chilli farmers in Andhra Pradesh.

The Centre will buy chillies at Rs. 5,000 per quintal till May 31.

-ANI