Vijayawada: RBKs will be game-changers, says Agriculture Minister Kannababu

Vijayawada: Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) would be a game-changer for the agriculture in the state, said agriculture minister Kurasala Kannababu while addressing the joint collectors and officials of agriculture and related sectors of 13 districts through video conference from the collector's camp office here on Thursday.

Special chief secretary Poonam Malakondaiah, principal secretary of revenue Usha Rani and other officials also participated in the video conference.

The minister said that the RBKs have become a hot topic throughout the country and it was discussed in a national seminar recently. The other states are also enquiring about the Kendras.

Kannababu said that Janata Bazaars would be set up in the state for the benefit of the consumers along with helping the farmers to get remunerative price.

The farmers would be supplied with seeds, fertiliser and other necessary inputs through RBKs at the village level.

The minister announced that the RBKs would also transform into marketing centres by purchasing 30 per cent of the produce from the farmers. The Kendras would be supported by grading and sorting units. The right to cultivate crop cards would be printed in user-friendly language to bring awareness among the people and the land owners.

He instructed the officials to undertake joint management from July 13 with the cooperation of departments concerned to record the type of crops undertaken in which survey number, and the details of horticulture, aqua culture and sericulture.

Special chief secretary, agriculture, Poonam Malakondaiah said that priority should be given to Five Ts—team, training, truthfulness, time and technical—in the maintenance of the Rythu Bharosa Kendras.

Principal secretary Usha Rani issued guidelines to the joint management staff on various issues.

Commissioner of Agriculture H Arun Kumar, Fisheries Commissioner Kanna Babu, CCLA joint secretary Ch Sridhar, Joint Collector Dr K Madhavi Latha, Vijayawada sub collector HM Dhyana Chandra, and officials of various departments were present at the Collector's camp office.