Zilla Parishad meet plans 150 workdays under MNREGS for labour

Kadapa: The Zilla Parishad general body meeting held here on Sunday proposed to provide 150 working days under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MNREGS) to the labour in the district.

The general body meeting held under ZP chairman Gudur Ravi has also decided to supply fodder at free of cost to farmers in the interest of protecting the animals. Speaking on the occasion, Agriculture Minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy said Kadapa has recorded 67 per cent of deficit rainfall this year in the entire state.

However, the minister said there was no need to worry as 17 tmc ft of water available in all water bodies in the district and the authorities were making all efforts to supply water to tail-end areas in the kharif season. He said another 15 tmc ft of water could be stored in the reservoirs if the second phase of Gandikota Lift Irrigation scheme was completed.

Responding to the plea of Railway Kodur MLA Koduru Srinivasulu to supply water through tankers for horticulture crops in his constituency, the minister said there was no question of compromise in that aspect as government would sanction Rs 480 per tanker below 5 km distance as the contribution of the farmers was Rs 100.

Responding to the demand of Rayachoti MLA G Srikantha Reddy over applicable crop insurance and input subsidy to farmers, who not irrigated the crops in view of prevailing severe dry spell conditions, Somireddy said the norms only applicable to paddy and cotton as rules did not permit for other crops.