Irrigation projects ramped up foodgrain production: Niranjan Reddy

Hyderabad: Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy on Monday said that the entire country had recognised the success achieved by the State in the agriculture sector. He asserted that the government had not only completed irrigation projects, but also increased the area of cultivation.

He made the remarks while replying to questions put forth by Tera Chinnappa Reddy of TRS and others in the Legislative Council.

The Minister stated that farmers of Telangana were leading a life of dignity by keeping their head high, thanks to the pro-agriculture policies of Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao. He said the presence of irrigation water and implementation of welfare schemes in the sector had led to increase in area of cultivation and production of food grains.

The Minister said the State had secured second position in the country in paddy production. He alleged that some opposition leaders were making baseless allegations against the government due to lack of knowledge. He made it clear that irrigation projects were defined as modern temples. The government was encouraging crops which were in demand, in association with the market research analysis wing.

He said crops cultivated by the State farmers were being exported to different States in the country and also to other countries. "The responsibility to ensure a balance in production of food grains lays on the Centre," Reddy said, adding that the government was encouraging oil palm and pulses cultivation, besides asking farmers to cultivate groundnut.

The groundnut crop has a lot of demand in the international market. The government was planning to increase the area of cultivation to 5 lakh acres from 3.75 lakh acres last year, he said.

He further stated that the government would create awareness among farmers using the Rythu vedikas. Commenting on procurement of food grains by the Centre, Reddy said they would get clarity on the issue in next couple of days. The Centre was procuring paddy from farmers in Punjab, while the State has been urging it to procure paddy in the same manner.