Telangana: Green signal for private horticulture polytechnics

Hyderabad: The decks have been cleared for setting up the private horticulture polytechnics in Telangana with the amendments being made to the Sri Konda Laxman Telangana State Horticultural University Act, 2007.

Speaking about the amendments, Minister for Legislative Affairs and R & B Vemula Prashanth Reddy in the Council here on Monday, said that currently the forest college at Mulugu is affiliated to Osmania University and this has become a hurdle for students who want to pursue higher studies elsewhere where the forest colleges are affiliated to horticultural universities. Now, the forest college would be affiliated to the horticultural university. Similarly, another amendment was meant to allow the horticulture university to allow private horticulture polytechnics in the State to meet the growing demand for the horticulture graduates.

Welcoming the move, MLC T Jeevan Reddy expressed doubts over the effective functioning of the horticulture department and the university. He said that the issue had been raised twice by him in the House stressing on encouraging the horticulture in the past two years. The Centre had released Rs 520 crore in the last two years for horticulture. But, the State government had failed to utilise the same as it failed to release its share of matching grants, he said, adding that the State government could release its share from the State grants. He also highlighted the removal of 450 mandal level horticulture extension officers citing salaries. He urged the government to reinstate them.

Similarly, MIM MLC Syed Aminul Hasan Jafri suggested the government to encourage horticulture and floriculture in places like regional and outer ring roads with incentives to farmers. He said flowers were high valued items which could be exported to other countries. MLC T Bhanu Prasad said that the State government has been encouraging both horticulture and floriculture after the formation of the State. Farmers are provided with subsidies for drip, sprinkler irrigation besides polyhouses, he said.

K Raghotham Reddy thanked the State government for establishing the horticultural university with all the modern facilities for students to pursue the courses which are much in demand.