Praja Sankalpa Yatra Diary, Day 92: Chandrababu Has Destroyed Dairy Farming In Villages To Promote Heritage  

Vippagunta, Prakasam district: This morning on my Padayatra, two sisters, Gurajala Rani and Rebecca belonging to Venkatadripalem, came and met me. Their father passed away after falling ill. To add to their misfortunes, an accident claimed their brother’s life and overcome with grief, their mother died of heart trouble.

Fate turned both of them into orphans, and yet in spite of all the trials and tribulations they had been subjected to, the elder sister managed to secure 85% marks in her degree course. Circumstances did not permit her to pursue higher studies. Her younger sister took up the TTC course and she had to support her by doing menial jobs. Neither the job nor the unemployment allowance promised by Chandrababu Naidu was given to them. Very innocently she asked me, “Anna why is it that we did not get unemployment allowance?” I was overcome with sadness. These siblings represent millions of other unemployed youth who have been denied their due by the TDP government.

Read: PrajaSankalpaYatra: A New Page, Seen Through The Lens Of History

Along the way Yalamandayya, who was injured at the work site—having gone there under Employment Guarantee Scheme—came and met me. He had lost one leg, which had to be amputated following an infection to his injury. In reality, the Parliament had enacted a law mandating that in such cases all the medical expenses would be borne by the government. He went around government officials and party leaders on countless occasions without any success. No one had the time for him and his appeals went unheeded.

Without any assistance forthcoming from the government, this elderly man borrowed Rs.1,20,000 for his medical treatment. In fact, it was the delay in putting enough money together which cost him his leg. It got infected and had to be amputated. As if this was not enough, this man with 80% disability did not get any pension from the government. Isn’t the insensitive TDP government responsible for driving Yalamandayya and his family into the abyss of poverty?

Some dairy farmers came and met me near Vipppugunta. They were leading a life of great difficulty battling water scarcity and extremely harsh conditions. For years now, they had been dependent on the Ongole dairy, which was a result of the dedicated work of dairy farmers. Up until 2014, the Ongole Dairy was making substantial profits. Moreover, the dues of the dairy farmers were paid on time. In fact, they were even given bonuses. Banks extended loans to buy buffaloes. However, things took a drastic turn for the worse after 2014 once Chandrababu Naidu came to power and the Ongole Dairy slipped rapidly into losses. Payments stopped coming and the dues to farmers of the district, mounted to around 11 crores.

In contrast, private diaries got together and were flourishing. They shortchanged dairy farmers and caused severe damage to local dairy farming. These poor dairy farmers can neither take up agriculture, nor can they sustain themselves on dairy farming. They find themselves completely at a loss. They said that migration to some other place in search of employment was the only alternative left now. Chandrababu Naidu has already destroyed dairy farming in the cooperative sector in Chittoor district only to promote his own Heritage group. It now appears as if he has focused his gaze upon the Ongole Dairy.

I have a question for the chief minister. The Ongole Dairy was flourishing and was earning profits. How did it slide into steep losses the minute you took over? Is it just on your part to drive the poor and small local dairy farmers into poverty and force them out of their occupation, abusing government authority only to favour a few cronies of yours? Is it not true that cooperative diaries all over the state have suddenly begun to slip swiftly into the loss-making zone, while your Heritage group, in contrast continues to thrive?