Misgovernance, not an act of nature, cause of farmers’ misery: Dr. JP

Misgovernance has reached such a proportion that a bout of heavy rain in the midst of summer, instead of bringing joy and happiness, has left farmers all over Telangana in great misery, said Loksatta Party national President Dr. Jayaprakash Narayan here today.

In a media statement, Dr. JP said that although farmers paid hundreds of crores of rupees as market cess over the years, market yards have remained in an utter state of disrepair. Most market yards have no compound walls, no shelters for farmers and no covered space for protecting agricultural produce. Market committees are under the control of functionaries nominated at the behest of local legislators, and farmers who pay the cess have no say in management. And the Government machinery has been swindling or squandering the cess collected from farmers for unproductive use.

Dr. JP pointed out that unusual rains in summer and heavy downpours during monsoons are endemic to India. “Farmers are suffering not because of an act of nature but because of misgovernance and corruption.”

Dr. JP demanded that the Governor’s administration go to the rescue of affected farmers immediately by extending relief.

More importantly, Dr. JP said, steps should be initiated to improve infrastructure in market yards, transfer management to elected farmers’ committees and place the market cess at their disposal.