Telangana to increase godown space to 40 lakh tonne
The State government which increased godown space from 4 lakh tonnes in 2014 to 24 lakh tonnes last year, will be constructing more godowns with agriculture production doubling in the past six years
Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Wednesday announced the State government’s plans to increase godown space from the existing 24 lakh tonnes to a whopping 40 lakh tonne at the earliest. The State government which increased godown space from 4 lakh tonnes in 2014 to 24 lakh tonnes last year, will be constructing more godowns with agriculture production doubling in the past six years. The district collectors have been directed to identify necessary land and take up construction work, he said.
The area under cultivation crossed the one crore acre mark last year in the State due to increased irrigation facilities and financial support provided by the State government under different schemes including Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bima. “The irrigation experts have predicted an addition of 15-20 lakh acres ayacut per year for the next a few years as we continue to complete the distributaries, canals and other works. The Palamuru Lift Irrigation Scheme is also nearing completion and will be launched in next rainy season,” the Chief Minister said, while replying to the discussion on the Motion of Thanks to the Governor’s Address in the Assembly on Wednesday.
After constructing 2,601 Rythu Vedikas to cater to the needs of farmers across the State, the State government will soon take up construction of drying platforms for about one lakh farmers to dry their harvested crops. The paddy cultivation in the State during the Rabi (Yasangi) season has shot up from 12.23 lakh acres in 2014 to 52.28 lakh acres in 2021. “Telangana is number one in the country in paddy cultivation during the second crop season. We could achieve the feat as we encouraged farmers by providing them with necessary infrastructure and resources,” he added.
Chandrashekhar Rao said the State government had stopped collecting the water cess and providing adequate water to the farm lands unlike the previous governments in undivided Andhra Pradesh which collected the cess but failed to provide irrigation facility to Telangana. He reminded that the TRS government had waived off Rs 141 crore arrears pending from farmers to the State government towards water cess. He said the officials were asked to ignore farmers pumping water from various canals using motor pumps unauthorisedly as the government was partial to farmers. “Though former Chief Minister Dr YS Rajasekhar Reddy launched the free power scheme for agriculture sector, it did not benefit farmers due to lack of quality and adequate power supply. But today, Telangana is the only State to provide free uninterrupted and quality power to agriculture sector in the entire country,” he said.
The Chief Minister said the State government was also encouraging modern cultivation methods and mechanisation in agriculture sector where the cultivation using polyhouses has increased from 128 acres in 2014 to 1,325 acres in 2021 in the State. He said the State government was providing polyhouses, drip and sprinkler systems to farmers at a subsidised price from 50 per cent to 90 per cent. The drip and sprinklers systems have been set up in 6.72 lakh acres in the State after its formation. On the issue of delay in release of the funds amounting to Rs 960 crore under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, he stated that the State government will release its 50 per cent share shortly.
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