T'gana Assembly session to begin tomorrow' likely to be be stormy

Farmers' suicides due to agrarian distress, redesigning of irrigation projects and drought in parts of the state are expected to rock the Monsoon session of Telangana Legislative Assembly beginning tomorrow. The Assembly's Business Advisory Committee would decide on the agenda and duration of the session, expected to last for ten days. Alleging that more than 1,000 farmers have committed suicide due to agrarian distress since the TRS government assumed office more than one year ago, main opposition Congress, TDP, BJP and other parties have been holding protests against the government. The state cabinet has recently enhanced the ex-gratia paid to the families of the deceased farmers from Rs 1.5 lakh to Rs six lakh. The state government on September 11 said 141 farmers have committed suicide, adding, ex-gratia was being paid to their family. Dismissing the opposition allegations, the ruling TRS alleged that the previous Congress and TDP governments were responsible for the present spate of suicides. Deputy Chief Minister K Srihari, who spoke after a cabinet meeting last week, had said the government has taken many pro-farmer measures like supplying seeds and fertilisers and uninterrupted power, to the extent possible. The government also waived farmers' loans to the tune of Rs 17,000 crore, he said, adding that the government would wait till September 30 to announce various mandals as drought-hit as per Centre's norms. Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao is expected to make a statement on the issue. The redesigning of irrigation projects, the ruling party's promise of two bed room houses to the poor and the defection of some opposition MLAs to the TRS, among other issues, are likely to figure prominently during the session.