Bengaluru: Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao today requested Prime Minister Narendra Modi to maintain the cost of fertilisers at the present level, urging the Centre to bear additional costs, if any. He said that this would ensure that the farmers are not burdened.
In a letter to PM Modi, Mr Rao said by raising the fertilizer prices, increasing fuel charges and "faulty" fixation of Minimum Support Price (MSP), the Centre is not only contributing to surge in the cost of cultivation to farmers, but also not meeting the promise of NDA Government to "double" the farmers' income.
He claimed that in the last six years, the income of farmers has declined.
KCR alleged that other than MSP, the Centre has no reliable mechanism to ensure a price guarantee to farmers for their crop yields.
He further alleged that the Centre has turned "blind eye" to the increasing prices of fertilizers during the last six years, while encouraging the states to take up campaigns to reduce urea and DAP consumption.
The letter comes just months after the Prime Minister announced a withdrawal of three controversial farm laws.
KCR is looking to rally the support of farmers as he tries to stitch together a Federal Front comprising 'secular and democratic' parties.
At a public meeting in Hyderabad lastyear, KCR had said he intends to take up a political leadership role on the issues of farmers.
KCR has in fact announced monetary compensation to families of farmers who died during the farm law protests on the outskirts of Delhi and urged the Centre to do the same.