Telangana Government will protect farmers says Minister Niranjan Reddy

Narsampet/Hanamkonda: Notwithstanding the coronavirus (Covid-19) lockdown, the State government has taken all measures for the procurement of farmers' produce, Minister for Agriculture and Marketing S Niranjan Reddy said.

Inaugurating a maize purchase centre at Nekkonda in Warangal Rural district on Thursday, he assured the farmers of procuring 14 lakh metric tonnes of maize from the farmers in the State. Incidentally, Nekkonda maize procurement centre is the first one in the State.

"The government will provide a minimum support price (MSP) of Rs 1,760 per quintal. Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao allocated Rs 3,213 crore for the purchase of maize," the Minister said.

There is a huge demand for the maize in domestic and global markets. Hence, it is advised that the farmers should go for maize cultivation in the next season as well, he said.

The Minister said that Narsampet constituency, which cultivates maize in 53,000 acres, is the highest producer in the State.

Niranjan Reddy said that efforts are on to set up 260 paddy procurement centres in Warangal Rural district. He appealed to people to follow the guidelines announced given by the government to bring down the coronavirus.

Referring to the construction of Kaleshwaram Lift irrigation Project (KLIP), Minister for Panchayat Raj Errabelli Dayakar Rao heaped praise on the CM for his commitment towards farmers.

"No other State in the country is allocating funds for agriculture sector like Telangana Government. Even in the coronavirus crisis, the government has made arrangements for the procurement of farmers' produce by providing MSP," Errabelli said.

Narsampet MLA Peddi Sudarshan Reddy said that the State government has always supported the farming sector. He asserted that the government will procure all the produce of the farmers.

The onus is on farmers to focus on alternate crops that benefit them, he added.

Later, Niranjan Reddy and Errabelli inspected the Rythu Bazar at Excise Colony in Hanamkonda. The Ministers told the vegetable vendors and customers to wear masks and maintain distance between them.

They told the marketing officials to press more mobile Rythu Bazars into action to avoid people gathering.

Enumamula Agriculture Market Yard Chairman Chintha Sadanandam, Orugallu District Cooperative Marketing Society Chairman G Ramaswamy Naik and Markfed State Director Marri Ranga Rao were among others present.