Tirupati: RBKs bring in revolutionary changes in agriculture
Rythu Bharosa Kendram at Tanapalli village of Tirupati rural mandal
Tirupati: Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) have brought in revolutionary changes in agriculture in the state. These centres have been facilitating farmers by extending services from supplying seeds to crop sales at one place thus reducing the time and money of farmers. After witnessing the sufferings of farmers during his padayatra, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has decided to launch some schemes to give them a helping hand.
The farmers used to suffer from lack of marketing facilities after harvesting and they could not get proper remunerative prices. They used to lose their crops due to natural calamities and were facing uncertainties about their insurance claims. RBKs were designed to show a solution to many of these problems.
Now, they have been supporting the farmers from planting seeds to selling the crops. Supply of quality seeds, fertilisers and pesticides are all being done at one place. Besides, farmers have been getting suggestions and awareness on organic and natural farming. In Tirupati district, integrated testing labs were set up at Srikalahasti, Chandragiri, Venkatagiri and Gudur constituencies while they will be started soon at Satyavedu and Sullurpet constituencies.
Apart from RBKs, farmers are getting help through YSR Rythu Bharosa and PM Kissan scheme under which each farmer family is getting Rs 13,500 per annum.
In Tirupati district, 1,70,854 farmers have got Rs 94.04 crore under the first phase of the scheme in 2022-23 while in the second phase, 1,74,680 farmers received Rs 72.41 crore.
Similarly, 5,297 eligible farmers got Rs 3.58 crore benefit under the YSR Free Crop Insurance Scheme in the district. For the benefit of farmers, each and every crop being cultivated by the farmers was being enrolled in an e-crop app under which the government has been paying a premium on behalf of famers and making them available to get the crop insurance.
As part of YSR zero interest crop loans, 23,601 farmers were benefitted worth Rs 5.01 crore for 2020 rabi and 2021 kharif seasons. Towards input subsidy, 350 farmers got Rs 19.05 lakh benefit.
The farmers were also getting agricultural machinery which the government has been providing to encourage mechanisation in farming. District Collector K Venkataramana Reddy said that the RBKs have been playing a vital role at village level in making the lives of farmers happy.