Babu, Why Rs. 16,000 cr For Zero Budget Farming?

Coming down heavily against AP Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu, former Congress MP Undavalli Arun Kumar lashed out at the government for taking Rs. 16,000 crore loan from BNP Paribas under SIFF for Zero Budget Natural Farming. "If it is Zero Budget Natural Farming, why would one require Rs. 16,000 crore?" he asked the state government, quoting a research paper titled "A critical review of climate-resilient natural farming" by Leo F. Saldanha of the Environment Support Group.

Alleging that the TDP government is unnecessarily taking loans and increasing the financial burden of the state, he said "Why does Zero Budget Farming require Rs. 16,000 crore. Zero budget means Rs. 16,000 crore?" he questioned.

On the other hand, he also criticized Chandrababu Naidu severely for misleading people on the Polavaram Dam. "Why would the Coffer Dam be constructed away from the Spillway channel? Why is this dam being constructed differently? Is it a showpiece? Where are the gates?," Arun Kumar lambasted the government. He further said that the TDP government is creating publicity around the Dam's construction. "Which government brings foreign journalists or people from different states to showcase a Dam that is under construction?" he questioned.

Undavalli also made personal comments on the engineers and workers at the Polavaram Dam. Additionally, he also criticized State Planning Board vice-chairman C. Kutumba Rao for not responding to the allegations with facts. "I have sent several messages to Kutumba Rao. But, he only appears in debates," he added.

He said that Chandrababu Naidu is answerable to the people of Andhra Pradesh. He demanded the TDP government to release a white paper explaining facts about the Zero Budget Natural Farming and about the funds' utilization for the Polavaram Dam.


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