Hyderabad, July 22 (Hydnow): Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has called upon Agriculture department to work with firm commitment and hard work to make agriculture sector in state a profitable vocation.
At a review meeting held at Pragathi Bhavan here on Wednesday. The Chief Minister said that the Telangana state has more than one crore of agriculture land under cultivation with lakhs of farmers living by it. The CM said there should be a major transformation from the existing traditional farming methods, a statement from the CMO’s here said.
The Agriculture department should guide and lead the farmers, educate them about the strength of organised sector vis-à-vis the unorganised sector, impart better agriculture practices and profitable methods. The CM desired that since the Telangana State is becoming an agriculture- based State, the agriculture department too should strengthen itself institutional wise. He said, if need be, the government is ready to
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sanction more posts to the department. The CM said that farmers in the State are cultivating the crops as suggested by the government cent percent. The CM instructed that the data on which farmer cultivating
what crop to what extent of land should be collected without fail.
“To develop the agriculture sector, the efforts put in the Telangana are unparalled and no one ever made such an attempt in the history of independent India till now. We have spent Crores of rupees, constructed major projects and are giving water free cost to farmers. We have abolished Water Cess completely without even charging single rupee. Moreover, we have written off the old dues. Uninterrupted, 24×7 quality power is supplied to the farm sector free of cost. Under Rythu Bandhu Scheme, financial input needed for agriculture is deposited in the account of farmers for each crop. In case any farmer dies, his family members were given Rs 5 Lakh under Rythu Bhima policy. Even during the financially difficult times due to the Corona Pandemic, the farmers. To unite the farmers, the government took the imitative and set up Rythu Bandhu Samithies. The construction of Rythu Vedika cluster- wise will be completed in the next three months. The Rythu Vedikas will become the Farmer Awareness Dias’s. Any one including the CM will be able to interact with farmers directly,” the CM explained.
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“Agriculture should become profitable in Telangana state. Ultimately, the farmers should become rich farmers. For this, the government is making several attempts and spending more funds. If the government efforts are to be fruitful, the agriculture department should play a very active role. The modern agriculture practices should replace the traditional ones. Study the farming practices world over and implement them in the State. There should be a tangible transformation in the farm sector. Latest and modern methods should come in the agriculture. Mechanization should increase. There are single pick crops
all over the world now. Study those crops. Find out which Crops would be better for Telangana based on the weather and environment conditions here. Find out cropping patterns of those crops. Farmers and officials should go on scientific tours. They should study the best farming practices in the state, country and abroad. Study the markets. Cultivate crops in such a way to suit to the eating habits of people in the village and urban areas. Ensure that they get the quality vegetables, food grains. For this, the agriculture department should create special wings and each wing should be headed by one Additional Director. We have appointed one Agriculture Extension Officer for every 5000 acres. If more AEOs are need due to the increase in extent of land under cultivation, they can be appointed. Revamp the agriculture sector in tune
with the present day needs. Revamp Horticulture department also and decided on which crops should be under its jurisdiction,” the CM said.
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“Telangana farmers have the awareness to welcome the change. Hence, they have gone in for regulatory Farming cent percent. When they were told that maize cultivation during the Monsoon season is not profitable, they did not go for maize cultivation. The farmers have realised that the attempts made by the government was for their sake. Hence, if farmers are given the required guidance, farming can become
profitable. Collect the data on which farmer cultivated which crop at what extent? This is very important,” the CM said.
“The starvation problem arisen out of a crisis is very cruel. It causes more damage, destruction and loss of lives than a war. Hence, the country should not face any food shortage and it should be self- reliant in the essential commodities production. No other country will be able to feed our country which has 135 Crore population. We have to become self-reliant in the production of food grains so that we can feed our own people. The country should become self-reliant. Efforts should also be put in place to give not only food but also a nutritious food to people, the CM explained.
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Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy, Rythu Bandhu State President Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, Government’s Chief Advisor Rajiv Sharma, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, Principal Secretary (Agriculture) B Janardhan Reddy, Additional Director Vijay Kumar, Deputy Director Shailaja and others participated. (Hydnow)