The Andhra Pradesh Tenant Farmers Association has severely criticized the State Budget for ignoring tenant farmers. The Association's State president A. Katamayya and general secretary P. Jamalayya said on Saturday that the coalition government had betrayed tenant cultivators and failed to keep election promises. They pointed out that Finance Minister Payyavula Keshav allocated ₹6,650 crore for 46.86 lakh farmers under the Annadata Sukhibhava scheme but did not mention any welfare funds for landless tenant farmers. Tenant farmers till nearly 80% of the cultivated land in Andhra Pradesh. Of the 35 lakh tenant cultivators, about 10 lakh are landless poor who need investment support, the leaders said. The association also criticized that the proposed new law for tenant farmers was left out of the Budget speech. Despite promises of collateral-free crop loans following RBI rules, tenant farmers still face difficulties accessing loans. They expressed deep concern that no funds were set aside to give ex gratia to families of tenant farmers who died by suicide in the past 20 months. The leaders demanded an immediate Budget review, extension of all benefits to landless tenants, and passing of a protective law in the current Assembly session. They warned that protests would intensify if their demands are ignored.