Govt setting up more paddy procurement centres: Harish

The area under paddy cultivation increased from 1.20 lakh acre last Yasangi to 2.80 lakh acre now.

Siddipet: Finance Minister T Harish Rao on Thursday said the government has decided to set up an additional 50 paddy procurement centres in addition to Vanakalam season’s 346 as the area under paddy cultivation increased from 1.20 lakh acre last Yasangi to 2.80 lakh acre now.

Addressing farmers after inaugurating the paddy procurement centre at Palamakula in Nanganur mandal, the Minister said Siddipet was the first district to reap the benefits of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Scheme (KLIS) which not only increased the area under cultivation but also productivity.

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Pointing out that groundwater table had increased considerably in Siddipet, Harish Rao said the once barren lands in the district had turned into fertile land with water available in abundance. In view of shortage of labour, the Minister said the government had allocated an additional Rs 1,500 crore to help farmers buy subsidised machinery.

To encourage the farmers to cultivate diverse crops to increase their income, he has said that they were motivating them to take up Oil farm, sericulture, and other horticulture crops besides aiming to make Siddipet a hub for seed production.