Nalgonda: Officials trained for conduct of agriculture census

Nalgonda: The government has decided to conduct the agriculture census this year, preparations are underway for executing the drive in the district level.

Following the instructions of the government, a training programme in this effect was conducted for the Agriculture department ADs, Mandal Agriculture and Agricultural Extension Officers, Deputy Statistical Officers, Mandal Planning and Statistical Officers at the District Collector’s office on Wednesday under the auspices of the Planning department.

District Collector R.V.Karnan participated as the chief guest in this training programme.

Speaking on the occasion, he said that apart from knowing the state of agriculture in the country, agriculture is the key for planning development and socio-economic policy formulation. The Central government should conduct an agricultural census once in five years.

The number of farmers as social groups, details of small, small and large farmers in the agricultural census to be undertaken by the Central government through agricultural census, cultivated area and what crops are grown. Water consumption, what machines are available, agricultural related information like tenant farmers, irrigation water sources will be collected land wise by surveying officers.

He said that the village will be taken as a unit. He said that agriculture census should be conducted at the field level and actual details should be collected.

He said that a committee has been formed for agricultural enumeration.

He said that district level collector will be the chairman, CPO convener and district administrative assistant as member.

The agriculture officials have requested to sensitize the farmers that paddy and cotton are mostly cultivated in the district and they should follow the diversity of crops and cultivate profitable crops that are in demand in the market. Oil palm as an alternative to rice and cotton, red gram should be cultivated as an intercrop in oil farm, he added

State Director, Deputy Director of Economic Statistics Department D. Shivakumar gave training on information collection in agricultural census.

District Chief Planning Officer Bala Shauri, District Agriculture Department Officer Sucharita, District Horticulture Department Officer Sangeeta Lakshmi, Assistant Director Mutyam and others participated in this programme.