Daijiworld Media Network - Mandya

Mandya, Mar 4: Karnataka BJP president and MLA B Y Vijayendra on Tuesday, March 4 said he would urge chief minister Siddaramaiah to ensure that the upcoming state budget prioritizes farmers' welfare.

Speaking at a paddy transplantation event organized under the leadership of district leaders and the BJP's district president, Vijayendra accused the Congress government of failing to take any farmer-friendly measures since coming to power.

Highlighting the initiatives of the central government, he said that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s leadership, the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for various crops had been increased multiple times. He also pointed out the implementation of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, questioning why the Siddaramaiah-led government had halted the scheme in the state.

Vijayendra further stated that during B S Yediyurappa’s tenure as chief minister, farmers could install a transformer for their fields by paying Rs 25,000. However, he alleged that under the current government, this cost had skyrocketed to Rs 2-3 lac, placing an additional burden on farmers.

Criticizing the Congress government, he accused it of misleading the public with its guarantee schemes while imposing financial hardships elsewhere. He termed the administration "anti-poor" and lacking in developmental initiatives, asserting that the BJP would expose its shortcomings in the upcoming Assembly session.

Vijayendra also took aim at the government's handling of the Cauvery water issue, alleging that it had arbitrarily released water to Tamil Nadu to favor chief minister M K Stalin and the UPA alliance, thereby neglecting the interests of Karnataka’s farmers in the Cauvery basin.

With rising temperatures and worsening heat conditions across the state, he urged the government to focus on a farmer-friendly budget, ensure adequate fodder for livestock, and prioritize clean drinking water supply.