Telangana: Horticulture dept to train rural youth in drip, sprinklers fitting

Hyderabad: After facilitating supply of quality oil palm saplings and extending subsidy for drip and sprinkler systems, the State Government is now training unemployed youth in rural areas for free in installation of these systems in the farm fields.

The Department of Horticulture will be conducting the free training programme for rural youth aged below 25 years at Centre of Excellence, Mulugu and in other districts. The State Government is extensively promoting cultivation of oil palm. Already, drips and sprinklers have been supplied to farmers cultivating the crop in over 22,000 acres in different areas of the State, said an official from the department.

However, there was dearth of technicians, who can install the drip and sprinkler systems in the fields. To address the issue, the department for the first time was training youth in installing these systems, the official said. This would serve two purposes. Unemployed youth in rural areas can take up self-employment works and farmers would not have to worry about installation of the systems or any minor glitches, if any, in the systems, the official explained.

During the 10-day training programme, the identified youth would be trained in drenching works, laying pipelines and installation of the drips and sprinklers. The training programme would be divided into two aspects of three-day theory sessions and seven-day practical sessions in the fields.

Officials and empaneled company representatives would be conducting live demonstrations in the fields. Generally, these demonstrations would be conducted in the fields in different districts.

The department is planning to train about 1500 to 2000 youth from across the State. Youth from Adilabad, Asifabad, Bhupalpally, Gadwal, Hanamkonda, Jagitial, Jangaon, Kamareddy, Karimnagar, Khammam, Kothagudem, Mahabubabad, Mahabubnagar, Mancherial, Mulugu, Nagarkrunool, Nalgonda, Narayanpet, Nirmal, Peddapally, Rajanna Sircilla, Siddipet, Suryapet, Wanaparthy, Warangal and Yadadri are eligible for attending the training programme. Only 100 candidates would be identified from each district and last date for filing applications is September 15.

After the training programme, the youth would be presented with certificates and they can take up self-employment works.

Depending on the soil pattern, the State Government extends subsidy to the tune of 80 per cent on drip systems. It costs about Rs.20,000 for installing drip system in one acre. Similarly, it costs about Rs.23,000 for installing sprinklers in one hectare and Government extends about 75 per cent subsidy.

The training programme is conducted in tune with the State Government’s targets of cultivating oil palm in 1.78 lakh acres this year. To ensure the targets are met and provision of technicians for installing the systems, this training programme would prove beneficial, the official added. eom