Farmers' interests ought to be protected, says Chandrababu Naidu

Hyderabad, Dec 7 (ANI): Telugu Desam Party (TDP) leader N. Chandrababu Naidu has asserted that the interests of farmers needed to be protected by the Central and State governments.

"Morally, we are very strong. We had moved no confidence (vote) because farmers are being affected very badly. After economic reforms, farmers are suffering. Added to that, today all input costs are increasing in agriculture. At the end of the day, (the price of) agricultural produce is controlled by the Government of India; through MSME (Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises), and also, exports and imports, all these things are happening," Naidu told media here.

"So, we wanted to highlight farmers' issues. We wanted to put pressure, both on the centre and the state. Ultimately, farmers should be protected," he added.

He also said that it was essential for agriculture to be reckoned as a profitable and lucrative occupation.

"Agriculture should be a profitable venture. For this, the Swaminathan Committee report has to be accepted. In the report, the increase in agricultural inputs has to be taken into consideration, plus 50 per cent profit has to be given for agricultural produce. Then only agriculture will survive. Every farmer is doing agriculture. There are floods or droughts; all these things are coming. So whenever we lose some money, investment in agriculture, that investment has to be protected by the government," he added.

Monday's vote of no confidence saw the majority of 160 votes out of 283 polled in the 295-member Assembly rest with the Kiran Kumar Reddy-led government, after Naidu initiated it, seeking the Congress government's ouster over farmers' woes.

Legislators of the Congress party belonging to the contentious Telangana region of the state played a decisive role in salvaging the government. (ANI)