CM YS Jagan pitches for alternative crops

Amaravati: Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy directed the officials to create awareness among farmers on cultivation of alternative crops instead of paddy under borewells and provide appropriate support to the cultivators of alternative crops.

During a review on agriculture and other allied sectors at camp office here on Monday, the Chief Minister told the official to ensure better income to farmers through alternative crops and provide incentives for cultivation of millets. He instructed the officials to constitute millets board and set up processing units where the cultivation of millets is more and called for incentives to natural farming. He said awareness should be created among farmers on organic and nature farming and added that organic methods should be promoted as an alternative to chemical fertilisers and pesticides.

The Chief Minister said organic farming should be given priority taking Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) as a unit and equipment required for organic farming should also be kept in custom hiring centres (CHCs) being set up under RBKs.

He said the equipment, pesticides and organic fertiliser industries required for organic farming should be encouraged and added that organic farming certification should be provided through RBKs.

The officials informed the Chief Minister that 45,35,102 farmers have registered 1.12 crore acre of crop through e cropping.

The Chief Minister said strict action would be taken against sale of fake or adulterated seeds, pesticides and fertilisers and two years imprisonment would be imposed against the responsible.

He said amendments will be made in the Act in this regard and an ordinance would be issued if necessary.

He said RBKs were set up with good intention to provide quality seeds, fertilisers and pesticides to the farmers and any violations would not be tolerated and added that if employees are involved in any irregularities, they will be dismissed immediately and legal action would be taken. He instructed the officials to ensure adequate supply of seeds as per the demand.

The Chief Minister said the equipment to be provided to the farmers should be made available in CHCs rationally based on the number of farmers, the land being cultivated and the crops and mapping should be done on it.

He said organic feed should be made available for livestock and directed the officials to focus on marketing of organic milk and processing of organic products and added to take measures to set up one processing unit in each district.

The officials informed the Chief Minister that so far, 1,77,364 women were benefitted through Palavelluva programme.