GUNTUR: AP government would extend price assistance scheme for the benefit of chilli growers. Minister for civil supplies P. Pulla Rao and minister for social welfare N. Ananda Babu inspected chilli trading in the chilli yard at Guntur on Thursday. They alleged that YSR Congress president and opposition leader Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has no knowledge about agriculture but was trying to provoke chilli farmers by his wrong statements.

They claimed that the TD government was serving chilli growers through price assistance scheme and helping them to get a fair price, but the YSRC was unable to digest the good name to TD and provoking the chilli growers. They assured about purchasing chilli from all chilli farmers till June 30. They announced that if required purchases would be extended till June 15.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Pulla Rao said that Rs 8.68 crore was paid to 3,775 chilli farmers as price assistance and said that price assistance would be given to all chilli growers without fail, hence they need not worry.

Mr Ananda Babu alleged that Mr Jagan has no idea about the chilli farming and marketing system and demanded YSRC to stop provoking the farmers against TD government. Chilli yard chairman M. Subba Rao said that 40 days of annual holidays were lessened to 20 days and to help chilli farmers, the holidays were totally cancelled. He said that water, buttermilk, meals and medical facility were provided to chilli farmers in the yard.