Nalgonda: AEOs narrate transformation of agriculture before and after 2014

Nalgonda: Agriculture Extension Officers (AEOs), who were in service since before 2014, felt that as a firsthand witnesses of pathetic conditions of the farmers in Telangana before formation of separate state, were feeling happy and working with satisfaction due to the change in the lives of the farmers due to irrigation facility, 24 hours electricity supply, Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bheema launched the state government.

When Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy interacted with the AEOs at a workshop on preparation for vanakalam crop season held here, the AEOs, who have been working since before formation of Telangana state, narrated the pathetic condition of the farmers in Telangana before 2014 and change in their lives after 2014.

An AEO Md Shafi, who was recruited in 2009, said that lack of irrigation facility and power cuts have badly impacted agriculture sector before 2014. Then, farmers made requests for financial help from the state government to save their families from financial crisis. When the minister questioned about the satisfaction levels in farmers, he said that the farmers were leading happy and dignified life due to the initiatives of the farmers. When the minister questioned what incident bothered him during the duty, he said that suicides of farmers have pained him very much.

When the minister questioned what made them feel happy in their service, another AEO of Mudigonda cluster Anjaneeyulu said that the farmers nowadays need not go to agricultural pumsets in night time now due to uninterrupted electricity supply. His father was also a farmer and was forced to go to fields at 11 pm to switch on pump sets and his family member spent time with fear until his father returned to the house in the night. Earlier, a bore well was capable of catering to the irrigation needs of 10 to 15 guntas of land. But now cultivation could be taken up in acres with a single bore well due to improved ground water level, he added. These factors have changed the lives of the farmers in rural areas, he added.

The minister was impressed when a woman AEO of Vangapally cluster in Yadadri-Bhongir district, Shravya said that she was not interested to apply for recently released TSPSC Group-I notification due satisfaction in serving the farmers in the present job.