‘Rythu Bandhu a game changer’
Hyderabad: A farmer’s main concern before taking up cultivation is investment and the Rythu Bandhu scheme provides the much-needed support for farmers in Telangana State in this aspect, P Chengal Reddy, chief advisor of Consortium of Indian Farmers Associations (CIFA) and honorary chairman of Federation of Farmers Associations (FFA) said. He described the Rythu Bandhu […]
Hyderabad: A farmer’s main concern before taking up cultivation is investment and the Rythu Bandhu scheme provides the much-needed support for farmers in Telangana State in this aspect, P Chengal Reddy, chief advisor of Consortium of Indian Farmers Associations (CIFA) and honorary chairman of Federation of Farmers Associations (FFA) said.
He described the Rythu Bandhu scheme as one of the best reforms in the agriculture sector in the country since Independence. “Be it paddy, maize or other millets, farmers need basic investment to cover the cost of seeds, fertilizers and other necessities. The Rs 5,000 per acre provided under the Rythu Bandhu scheme covers all these basic costs which are essential for a farmer. Additionally, the Chandrashekhar Rao government is providing adequate irrigation water as well as free and uninterrupted power, giving a major boost to the agriculture sector,” he said.
With the distribution of the financial support under the scheme taken up for the eighth consecutive seasons, the Rythu Bandhu scheme would soon reach the milestone of Rs 50,000 crore in a couple of days. In an exclusive interview with the ‘Telangana Today’ ahead of the national workshop on ‘Agriculture as focus area of Regional Approaches for National Development Agenda’ on Thursday, Chengal Reddy said agriculture was the greatest advantage for the country and it should be developed into an agriculture-centric economy for long-term benefit.
“Agriculture being a State subject, the Telangana government has done justice to its role by providing investment support to farmers for taking up cultivation in the first place,” he said. The novel initiative has propelled the growth of the rural economy to a large extent, the agricultural activist said, and emphasised the need for the Centre to complement the State’s efforts, setting aside political affiliations.
“Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has constructed numerous lift irrigation schemes and provided water to a drought-prone area like Telangana which earlier was thought to be an impossible task. While abundant irrigation facility and free power supply to the farm sector laid a strong foundation, the Rythu Bandhu scheme cemented the position of the State in agricultural growth and providing remunerative price to farmers for their produce,” he added.
Now you can get handpicked stories from Telangana Today on Telegram everyday.
Click the link to subscribe. Click to follow Telangana Today Facebook page and Twitter .
