Demanding drought relief measures to protect people from the severe heat wave conditions and unemployment, the CPI and CPI (M) workers staged a demonstration at the district Collectorate office here on Monday.
CPI leader T. Srinivasa Rao and CPI(M)’s S. Vasudeva Reddy and Siddi Venkateswarlu demanded that the State government immediately release Rs. 2,000 crore for drought relief measures in the State.
The bad weather prevailing in rural areas are very disturbing. The State and Central governments were blaming each other disowning responsibility of protecting people, they said.
The governments that claim to be welfare governments should come forward to protect poor farmers who were affected by scanty rainfall, prolonged drought conditions and unemployment. The State government should pay a compensation of Rs. 15,000 per acre to farmers as a drought relief measure. All the farmers who lost their crops due to poor rainfall should be compensated by the State government, they said.
The government should also undertake other drought relief measures such as distribution of food, waiver of all loans and fee in drought-affected mandals, and provision of temporary employment to prevent migration of people.