Telangana Assembly Debates Milk Shortage, Adulteration and Vegetable Supply Gaps
Telangana Assembly members flagged milk and vegetable shortages, adulteration risks and pesticide-related health worries during Question Hour on Thursday.
Concerns over food safety and shortfalls in local milk and vegetable production dominated the fourth day of the Telangana Assembly session on Thursday, with members pressing the government for corrective measures during Question Hour.
BJP MLA Payal Shankar told the House that Telangana produces only about 8% of the milk it consumes, with the rest brought in from other States. He alleged that adulterated milk is being produced within Telangana and called for a new system to tackle the problem. He also sought extension of the National Livestock Mission's benefits to people in the State.
On the cultivation side, Palakurthi MLA Yashaswini Reddy said people are worried about health hazards arising from the use of pesticides in farming. Farmers, she added, are also troubled by monkey menace.
BJP MLA K. Venkata Ramana Reddy focused on vegetable cultivation, arguing that the land under such crops is insufficient to meet demand. The shortfall forces the State to import vegetables, which in turn pushes up prices, he said. He urged the government to create cold storage facilities and offer subsidies on equipment to encourage more vegetable farming.
AIMIM MLA Majid Hussain raised the difficulties faced by farmers at the Gudimalkapur vegetable market, requesting a rest area and canteen for those who travel long distances. He said walking space in the market is shrinking and that store licences are being issued without regard to available space. He also asked the government to build a complex at the existing Rythu Bazaar in Mehdipatnam to support farmers and ease parking problems.