Telangana’s Gross State Value Added surges by 4.2%
Hyderabad: Telangana’s Gross State Value Added (GSVA) of the agriculture and allied sectors at current prices increased consistently by 4.2 per cent, from 16.3 per cent in 2014-15 to 20.5 per cent in 2020-21, with 142 per cent increase in the Gross Value Added (GVA) by the sector between the corresponding period. The sector is […]
Hyderabad: Telangana’s Gross State Value Added (GSVA) of the agriculture and allied sectors at current prices increased consistently by 4.2 per cent, from 16.3 per cent in 2014-15 to 20.5 per cent in 2020-21, with 142 per cent increase in the Gross Value Added (GVA) by the sector between the corresponding period. The sector is also the main source of employment for around 55 per cent of the State population.
As per the Telangana State Statistical Abstract 2020-21 published by Telangana State Development Planning Society (TSDPS) here, the State government took up numerous initiatives to boost the growth of the agriculture and allied sectors to increase farmers’ incomes, and improve farmers’ welfare. Policy initiatives taken up by the government include the flagship Kaleshwaram Project and Mission Kakatiya to improve the irrigation infrastructure, the supply of uninterrupted free power, investment support to farmers under the Rythu Bandhu scheme, access to inputs, markets and credit, and provisioning of life insurance to farmers under the Rythu Bima scheme.
According to the Census of Landholdings (2015-16), there are 59.47 lakh landholdings in Telangana covering a total area of 1.47 crore acres. The total production of foodgrains (cereals, millets, and pulses) in Telangana was 1.71 crore tonnes in 2020-21. Of this, about 1.45 crore tonnes of rice was produced in 2020-21, while the total production of millets (jowar, bajra, maize, ragi, and korra) was 19.22 lakh tonnes in 2020-21. The pulses production was 6.69 lakh tonnes.
Chillies and turmeric are the two major spices produced in the State, accounting for a total production of 5.37 lakh tonnes and 2.26 lakh tonnes respectively. Onion is the major vegetable produced in the State, with a total production of 1.80 lakh tonnes in 2020-21. Further, the cotton production has touched 30.4 lakh tonnes, while the production of cotton lint was 57.99 lakh bales.
Similarly, the total production of oilseeds in Telangana, including groundnut, sesame, safflower, sunflower, grape mustard, soybean, palm oil and castor, was 9.89 lakh tonnes in 2020-21. The State government had recently launched the Oil Palm Mission to promote the cultivation of oil palm in the State. The end goal of the Mission is to improve the livelihood of farmers and to bridge the edible oil deficit in the country. The total production of oil palm in 2020-21 was 4.12 lakh tonnes.
As per the livestock census 2019, the livestock population in Telangana was 3.26 crore and sheep accounted for 58.4 per cent of the total livestock. Goat, cattle and buffalos account for 15.1 per cent, 13 per cent and 12.9 per cent of the population respectively. The production of milk in the State was 57.65 lakh tonnes and eggs were 1,58,470.33 lakhs in the year 2020-21. Further, the production of inland fish and prawns in the year 2020-21 was 3.37 lakh tonnes and 11,734 tonnes respectively.
Rs 43,054 cr disbursed as part of Rythu Bandhu so far
Recognising the importance of financial support to farmers to achieve efficient production and enhanced productivity, the State government launched Rythu Bandhu farm investment support scheme in 2018-19. The key objective of the scheme is to rescue Telangana farmers from their financial plight by breaking the vicious cycle of rural indebtedness and also ensure timely access to inputs of agriculture including water, power, fertilisers, pesticides, seeds, labour and mechanisation which are critical to ensure a good yield.
The scheme provides financial support of Rs 5,000 per acre per season to land owning farmers i.e. Rs 10,000 per acre per year, which is the highest when compared to similar schemes launched by several State governments. The amount is directly transferred to the bank accounts of farmers.
Cumulatively, Rs 43,054.39 crore has been disbursed in seven instalments to the beneficiaries between 2018 and 2021. In Vanakalam 2021, 61.07 lakh farmers were enrolled as beneficiaries under the scheme of which 71.6 per cent were marginal farmers (with less than 2.47 acres) and 18.9 per cent were small farmers (between 2.48 and 4.94 acres). The large farmers (with more than 24.78 acres) account for only 0.1 per cent of the beneficiaries. The districts of Sangareddy and Nalgonda have the highest number of beneficiaries and amount disbursed under the scheme in Vanakalam 2021.
Over 65 Rythu Bima claims settled
Since the launch of the Rythu Bima scheme in 2018, the State government transferred an amount of Rs 3,259.3 crore directly into the bank accounts of nominees of the deceased farmers through direct cash transfers. A total of 65,184 claims were settled, with a majority of the beneficiaries comprising small and marginal farmers. Sangareddy and Nalgonda districts recorded the highest number of beneficiaries enrolled and claims settled in the year 2020-21.
The scheme aims to mitigate the impact of the sudden death of farmers who are sole earners of their families, by providing financial relief of Rs 5 lakh to the family members and dependents of farmers. Under the scheme, the entire premium on behalf of the enrolled farmer is paid by the government to the insurance agency (LIC). Farmers between the ages 18-59 are eligible to be enrolled on the scheme.
In 2020-21, 32.72 lakh farmers were enrolled as beneficiaries of the scheme of which 90.9 per cent of them were small and marginal farmers. Over 2019-20, the number of farmers enrolled on the scheme increased by 6.5 per cent. Among the beneficiaries enrolled in 2020-21, 53 per cent of them belong to the Backward Classes (BC), 13 per cent to Scheduled Castes (SC) and 14 per cent to Scheduled Tribes (ST).
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 .
