Ex-Minister Satyavathi Rathod joins farmers in urea queue
With the urea shortage in Telangana intensifying day by day, former minister Satyavathi Rathod joined farmers in a queue line to protest. At the Gundratimadugu Raithu Vedika in Kuravi mandal, Mahabubabad district, she obtained a coupon with her 5.5-acre land passbook and received only one bag of urea. Speaking to farmers on the occasion, she made serious allegations about the government's failure. This incident has become a topic of discussion across the state.
'How is one bag enough?'
At the Gundratimadugu Cooperative Society, farmers stood for hours in a queue line since morning. Satyavathi Rathod also waited with them and got a coupon. However, she expressed strong dissatisfaction at receiving only one bag of urea for 5.5 acres of cultivated land. "Farmers have been waiting for weeks, yet they don't get even one bag. The government should stop giving lame excuses and provide adequate urea to farmers," she demanded. BRS leaders widely publicized this incident on social media, criticizing the Congress government.
Protests and suicide attempts
The urea shortage in Telangana has worsened since the Kharif season. In Mahabubabad, a farmer attempted suicide due to the unavailability of urea. In Adilabad, Warangal, and Khammam districts, farmers blocked roads and cooked food as a form of protest. In Dornal mandal, farmers clashed with the police. Meanwhile, the price of one bag of urea in the black market has increased from ₹800 to ₹1200. There are allegations that Congress leaders are diverting urea to the black market, which is causing the shortage. The BRS alleges that those involved in the black market are also Congress leaders.
No shortage, Problem is with distribution
Congress leaders say there is no urea shortage in the state, but there is a problem with distribution. During his visit to Kamareddy, Chief Minister Revanth Reddy said, "The Centre has supplied 12.47 lakh metric tonnes. Farmers are standing in queues out of anxiety. The urea problem is not that serious in the state, but due to a widespread campaign on social media about a shortage, farmers are suddenly coming and waiting in queue lines." However, the Chief Minister's response has also drawn severe criticism. Opposition leaders question why farmers would have to stand in queues if there was indeed enough urea available in the state. Agriculture Minister Thummala Nageswara Rao said that with the restart of production at Ramagundam Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited, 60,000 metric tonnes would become available. The government also plans to store a buffer stock of 3 lakh metric tonnes by February 2026.
Lack of coordination between centre and state
This issue has become a major political talking point. BRS and BJP are criticizing the Congress government's incompetence. "Farmers are losing their lives under Congress rule," BRS leaders allege. Congress leaders, on the other hand, say that the Centre is not supplying urea on time. However, the BJP alleges that despite providing sufficient urea, Congress leaders are diverting it to the black market, which is causing this problem. The state government has written a letter to the Centre requesting the distribution of 3.94 lakh tonnes of urea. The Congress alleges there has been no response from the Centre. Congress leaders point out that since the NDA government is in power at the Centre, there is no urea shortage in the neighboring state of Andhra Pradesh, but question why the shortage is so severe in Telangana. They say the Central government is acting differently towards Andhra Pradesh and Telangana.
When will farmers get relief?
The problem seems to have intensified due to a significant increase in paddy cultivation and global supply chain disruptions. Farmers' organizations are demanding improvements in the distribution system and action against the black market. Experts suggest that the problem can only be solved through coordination between the Centre and the state. Everyone is calling for immediate measures to alleviate the difficulties faced by farmers.