Rythu Sangham protests nomination of political leaders to PACS and DCCBs

CPI(M)-affiliated Telangana Rythu Sangham staged protests in Khammam district demanding the withdrawal of the Congress government’s decision to nominate political leaders to PACS and DCCBs. District secretary Bonthu Rambabu insisted that elections should be held to elect farmer representatives, warning that political nominations would undermine the cooperative system.

Khammam: The leaders of CPI (M) affiliated Telangana Rythu Sangham have staged protests across the district demanding the Congress government withdraw its decision to nominate political leaders to PACS and DCCB bodies.

The sangham district secretary Bonthu Rambabu and others staged a protest at Vishal Cooperative Society at Wyra. Speaking on the occasion he demanded the government hold elections to elect governing bodies of Primary Agricultural Cooperative Credit Societies (PACS) and District Central Cooperative Banks (DCCBs).

Nominating political activists instead of farmer representatives would destroy the cooperative system. The farmers were already resentful towards the government due to the failure in waiving crop loans up to Rs 2 lakh and the shortage of urea supply.

The State government’s attempt to bring the PACS’s under its control through nominated members was unwarranted. The societies have played a significant role for decades in providing loans, seeds and fertilisers to farmers with the support of the government and the farmers’ share capital, Rambabu said.

The sangham leaders wanted the government to take steps to supply sufficient urea during the rabi season. The sangham leaders Ch Chalapathi Rao, M Rama Rao, Banala Srinivasa Rao and others were present.