Elections halt agriculture survey in district

Karimnagar: Frequent elections have disturbed the survey of farmers launched by the government to get the comprehensive information about the condition of the agriculture sector in the State.

The survey had started on March 29 and was supposed to complete on May 15, however, it seems difficult as most of the agriculture department officials had been engaged in Lok Sabha elections and again there will be local body polls which will require the services of the staff.

However, the survey is essential for identifying seed requirements in the Kharif season and establishment of crop colonies.

Officials at gross root level are demanding that the senior officers should not allot the agriculture department staff for the local body elections. If they are deployed for the election duties, a comprehensive survey cannot be completed by May 15 in any condition.

There are 153,646 farmers in Karimnagar district and out of them 14,000 farmers have not received Rythu Bandhu scheme benefits for various reasons. During the survey, they questioned the authorities for depriving them of the same. Similarly, 60 per cent of the farmers did not get the Kisan Samman Fund from the Central government.

Farmers are struggling with such problems at the field level. At the same time they are unable to provide proper information to enumerators. Similarly, there are 174,277 farmers in Jagityal district. As much as Rs 14 crore compensation was sanctioned for the damage of paddy crops due to mosquitoes bite, has not been provided to farmers.

They are also facing same problems and have not received the benefits of Rythu Bhandhu and Kisan Samman Yojana in Jagityal district.

As many as 12,000 farmers in Jagityal district have not yet received passbooks. At the same time, the local body elections have created difficulty for the farmers as well as officials as the Kharif season is approaching in Peddapalli district, too.

Survey has been stopped for three days of the election training, and three days were lost for polling duties and thus one week was lost in the General elections.

Another week may be lost if the agriculture officials are deployed for the local body election duties. The Agricultural Department Commissioner also requested the State Election Commissioner not allot duties to AEO, AO and other staff.

But the Election Commission says it is not possible since there is a manpower crunch.

The officials are suggesting the Election Commission to utilise the services of government school and college teachers for election duties as schools are closed for the summer vacation and spare the agriculture officials for the survey.