Andhra minister challenges Jagan to debate over farm and regional development claims

Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister K. Atchannaidu has challenged YSRCP president Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy to a debate on agriculture and Rayalaseema development, saying the discussion should be based on official data.

Atchannaidu was responding on Sunday to Jagan’s remarks about the government’s performance in the two areas. He said the proposed ₹1 lakh crore investment mobilisation under the Global Horticulture Hub-Rising Rayalaseema initiative consisted of about ₹40,000 crore through the Purvodaya programme and ₹60,000 crore from the private sector. The minister said private investment should not be counted as a State budget allocation.

He cited horticulture growth of 17% between 2014 and 2019, 9% between 2019 and 2024, and 21% in 2024-25. He also said the area under horticultural crops expanded by 2.91 lakh hectares during 2014-19 and by 83,000 hectares during 2019-24. According to Atchannaidu, the present government added 71,000 hectares in one year.

The minister said subsidies for micro-irrigation and oil palm cultivation had been restored. He also pointed to market-intervention spending of about ₹800 crore in 2025-26, including ₹271 crore for tobacco, ₹261 crore for mangoes and ₹125 crore for onions. Atchannaidu said the government had paid ₹5.67 crore to 81 farming families that had previously not received compensation.

He added that bills for ₹10.50 crore covering 150 families had been submitted. He said the government was prepared for a crop-by-crop discussion covering insurance, subsidies, compensation and other farmer-welfare measures. The supplied material did not include Jagan’s response to the challenge or independent verification of the figures cited by the minister.