The Union Agriculture Ministry has appreciated and hailed the Telangana State Government’s innovative agriculture schemes like Rythu Bandhu and the formation of Rythu Samanvaya Samithies. It has a word of appreciation for several schemes like Rythu Bandhu, which are being implemented, in the State.
Union Agriculture Minister Sri Narendra Singh Tomar held a videoconference on Thursday with several Chief Ministers and Agriculture Ministers from the states. He has sought opinion on the Centre’s proposed Agriculture Infrastructure Fund Scheme from the State governments. In this context, Union Agriculture Secretary Sri Sanjay Agarwal spoke on various developments, which are taking place in the agriculture sector in the country. In his PowerPoint Presentation, he made specific and special reference to Rythu Bandhu Scheme and Rythu Samanvaya Committees in the Telangana State. Sri Agarwal said that the Rythu Bandhu scheme proved to be very beneficial to farmers and appreciated several other programmes and schemes which are being successfully implemented in Telangana state. He explained that the Telangana state government itself had initiated Rythu Bandhu Samithies, which resulted in establishing and expanding a large network of farmers in the State. He said with this network, schemes like the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund can be successfully and effectively implemented.
Since Chief Minister Sri K. Chandrashekar Rao had a meeting with the NABARD Chairman, on his behalf of Agriculture Minister Sri S Niranjan Reddy participated. He made several suggestions on behalf of Telangana State.
“The Telangana State government welcomes the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund Scheme. We are hopeful that such a scheme would help to develop the agriculture sector and getting more investments into the sector. It is proposed that the Centre will bear 3 percent of the interest levied on the loans taken to invest in the agriculture sector. But it is better if there is no interest levied on the investments in the agriculture sector. If interest-free loans are given, more and more investments can come into the sector,” Sri Niranjan Reddy suggested to the Union Minister.
“The Telangana state government under the guidance of CM KCR is implementing several programmes in the State to develop the Agri sector and for the welfare of farmers in the State. We are extending Rs 7000 Crore to 58 Lakh farmers for every crop as financial input under the Rythu Bandhu Scheme. From village to state level, all over the State Rythu Bandhu Samithies were formed. There are 1.65 Lakh heads of the Samithies. Every 5000 acres had been made into a cluster and one Agriculture Extension Officer was appointed to each Cluster. With this, a huge farmers network was created all over the State. With irrigation water facilities increase and the pro farmers policies of the government, the extent of land under cultivation has increased leaps and bounds. Compared to last year, the increase was 39 percent more. As on date cultivation is taking place in 1.36 Crore acres. Another four to five lakh acres will be added in the coming days. In Telangana state where the agriculture operation is on the high scale, the centre should supply the required fertilisers especially Urea to the state,” Sri Niranjan Reddy asked the union minister.
“The Centre made an announcement that it would bring reforms in the maintenance of agriculture markets. We need clarity on what kind of reforms are expected. Hundreds of markets Committees are successfully working in the Telangana State.
The Pension scheme is being implemented to employees of the market committees and also to those who retired. Works are going on to improve the infrastructure facilities in the markets. We need clarification on what will happen to these works if the Centre comes out with reforms?” Sri Niranjan Reddy asked.
Rythu Samanvya Samithi state President Sri Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, Principal Secretary to Agriculture Sri Janardhan Reddy also participated in the conference.