Hyderabad: Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan on Tuesday said the State government was taking well-planned measures to bail out agriculture sector from the crisis faced by farmers before the State formation. She pointed out that owing to all the measures, paddy was being cultivated in 1.04 crore acres at present as against 35 lakh acres at the time of the State formation. She said due to significant rise in the cultivation area, the State has now become the Rice Bowl of the country.
In her Republic Day address, the Governor stated that the agriculture policies and programmes launched by the State government had earned international acclaim. She said the State government took up construction of major irrigation projects to improve irrigational facilities for farmers who faced water scarcity for decades together. “Irrigation facilities have been tremendously improved, thanks to Kaleshwaram project, the largest multi-stage lift irrigation project in the world. The works of Palamuru-Rangareddy, Sitarama, Devadula projects are being taken up at faster pace. Works on the pending projects in the combined Mahabubnagar, Warangal, Adilabad, Nalgonda, Khammam and other districts are completed and water is supplied to 16 lakh acres,” she added.
Further, Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan informed that through Mission Kakatiya programme, all the tanks in the State are revived. As a result, there is 4 m rise in the groundwater level which in turn enabled farmers to take up cultivation using 24 lakh pump sets. She said the state government purchased agriculture produce by setting up of procurement centres at the village level and saved farmers from incurring losses due the closure of markets during the lockdown. “During the last rabi season, the Food Corporation of India had procured 1.15 crore tonnes of paddy all over the country and out of this Telangana State alone contributed around 64 lakh tonnes which is 55 percent of the total procurement of the FCI.
Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bima
The Governor said the Rythu Bandhu scheme was the first of its kind in the country to help the farmers by providing investment support for agriculture. She stated that despite COVID pandemic, the financial assistance was being continued and about Rs 7,351 crore was provided to farmers under the scheme for the Yasangi season. Similarly, under Rythu Bima scheme, an assured insurance amount of Rs 5 lakh was being provided to the family members in case of death of a farmer. She said the State government could act strictly and
Governor Tamilisai Soundararajan said the State government has acted sternly against the supplies of spurious seeds/fertilizers/pesticides, the farmers are now getting adequate quantities of quality seeds, fertilizers and pesticides intime. The state government is extending subsidy to the farmers on tractors, other agricultural equipment and tools. Cultivation under micro irrigation is on increase with the government subsidies ranging from 80 to 100 percent.
Mission Bhagiratha
The Governor said the Mission Bhagiratha programme which attracted attention of the entire country, has once for all solved the drinking water problem in the State. For 23,968 habitations in the State, she stated that safe and pure drinking water was being supplied everyday. “The Central Jal Jeevan Mission has declared that the Telangana state registered a major achievement by supplying drinking water through pipes to 100 percent of houses in the state. This is another feather in our cap,” she said.
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