KCR gives importance to farming sector

Peddapalli: Since agriculture is the main occupation in Telangana State, Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao has given more importance to agriculture sector and for farmers' welfare and introduced several innovative schemes, stated Agriculture Minister Singireddy Niranjan Reddy.

He inaugurated Rythu Vedika at Garrepally village of Sultanabad mandal in the district on Monday.

Speaking on the occasion, Minister Niranjan Reddy said the State government took up major irrigation projects to utilise its share of water from Godavari and Krishna Rivers and completed the construction in record time. Several welfare schemes introduced by the CM for farmers' welfare have received appreciation from all sections of people across the country. Even the Central government appreciated the State on a number of occasions, he added.

The government is investing around Rs 55,000 crore to Rs 60,000 crore for farming and irrigation sectors every year. While Uttar Pradesh, the biggest State in the country, is not even allotting 10 percent of funds for farming and irrigation sectors, the smallest State Telangana is giving 24 hours free power supply for around 30 lakh pump sets, he stated.

'Except in Telangana, no other State is implementing schemes like Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bima along with free current to farmers. The government is sanctioning Aasara pension scheme to about 40 lakh beneficiaries. The farmers of Garrepally village alone are getting around Rs 1.51 crore under Rythu Bandhu, he added.

The Minister informed that the government had purchased all the food grains from the farmers by opening purchasing centres in villages by investing Rs 30,000 crore, thinking not to create problems to the farmers during corona pandemic. There will be more benefits for farmers with the new agriculture bills, which were introduced by Modi government. The farmers also will realise this if they wait for two seasons with patience, he said.

Peddapalli MP B Venkatesh Netha, ZP chairman P Madhu, Additional Collector Kumar Deepak, MLA D Manohar Reddy, MLC N Lakshman Das, Libraries Chairman Raghuveer Singh and Agriculture officer Thirumal Prasad were present along with others.