Will give mopeds to toddy tappers: KTR

Ridiculing the BJP-led Centre for not having a BC Ministry, TRS working president KT Ramarao said the TRS government will give mopeds to all toddy tappers in future. KTR said the BJP-led Karnataka had banned the toddy tapping profession. KTR said that toddy tappers are protesting against the Karnataka government’s decision.

Addressing the Gouds’ Athmeeya Sammelan held at the BMR Function Hall in Manneguda in Thurqamzil municipality in Rangareddy district on Sunday, KTR said the TRS government had abolished tree tax and had opened toddy depots and stood by Gouds. He said the TRS government is the only government that had abolished the tree tax. KTR said the TRS government has been giving pensions to Gouds every month and has been providing 15 per cent reservations in allocating wine shops. He said the TRS government had increased accident insurance up to Rs 5 lakh for toddy tappers.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao solved the problems facing Goud society, KTR said and recalled that the TRS government has been providing subsidies and toddy plants.

He asked the people of Munugode not to be deceived by opposition parties and urged toddy tappers to vote for the TRS.Excise Minister V. Srinivas Goud, MLA KP Vivekanand, former Legislative Council chairman Swamy Goud, former MLA B. Bikshamaiah Goud and others attended the Sammelan.

KTR, who had launched a postcard movement demanding that the Centre should scrap the GST on handlooms, launched an online petition drive on Sunday demanding that the Centre should abolish the GST on handloom products immediately and solve the problems of handloom workers.

KTR started an online petition on Change.Org urging the Centre to abolish the GST on handlooms to protect handloom workers and Indian heritage. He said the handloom sector is an important source of livelihood in rural areas.