Hyderabad: Telangana chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao assured the peasant families that the state government will procure every grain of the damaged paddy due to untimely rains.
KCR appealed to the farmers not to worry about the Paddy which got wet due to rains. He made it clear that the state government will pay an equal price to the damaged paddy as paid for normal paddy during the procurement.
The Chief Minister reiterated that the Telangana government’s aim is to protect agriculture and ‘rescue the farmers’ from their hardships’.
In the wake of incessant untimely rains in recent times, he directed the agriculture department to study what policies should be adopted so that Yasangi paddy harvesting can be completed before March and take appropriate measures to sensitize the farmers in this direction. KCR also suggested the farmers postpone the harvesting for another three to four days.
The Chief Minister held a high-level review meeting on the procurement of Yasangi paddy and wet paddy, measures to ensure early harvesting of Yasangi paddy in future, activities of the agriculture department etc at DR BR Ambedkar Telangana Secretariat on Tuesday.
Ministers T Harish Rao, V Srinivas Goud, G Jagadishwar Reddy, MLC and state president of Rythubandhu Samiti Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, MLAs -Balka Suman, Bajireddy Govardhan, principal advisor to Government Rajeev Sharma, chief secretary Santhi Kumari, principal secretary to the chief minister Narsing Rao, finance special chief Secretary Ramakrishna Rao, Secretaries to chief minister -Smita Sabharwal, Rajasekhar Reddy, Bhupal Reddy, Agriculture Secretary Raghunandan Rao, Civil Supplies Commissioner V. Anil Kumar and others participated.
KCR said that “the Telangana government’s activities for the development of agriculture and the welfare of farmers’ families are providing unprecedented benefits and the state stood as a role model for the country. Telangana surpassed many states in Paddy production. The government is producing every grain of Paddy from the farmers in their fields. Telangana government is the only one in the country which is implementing an action plan for the welfare of farmers with sincerity and determination.”
He called the untimely hailstorms and rains that the state received as ‘unfortunate’.
“There is no control over natural calamities. However, the state government did not keep silent. It is already supporting the farmers who have lost crops due to hail storms by providing Rs 10,000 per acre despite the heavy burden on the state exchequer. The state government considered the farmers’ plights in the wake of damage to Yasangi paddy due to rains. The state government is once again ready to come to the rescue of the affected farmers in the crisis time. It is decided to procure wet paddy. We will complete the paddy procurement as soon as possible and make it clear that the farmers need not worry.”
The officials explained to the chief minister about the details of the procurement of Yasangi paddy which is already going on across the state. Officials told KCR that some difficulties were faced in the procurement due to untimely rains. The commissioner of the civil supplies department Anil Kumar explained to the chief minister that procurement will be completed soon with all the arrangements.
As the state is likely to witness rains for another three to four days, KCR advised the farmers to stop harvesting the paddy so that the grain does not get wet.
KCR advised both the agriculture department and farmers to take this untimely rain as a lesson and create awareness in advance to avoid future losses. He requested the farmers to take up the paddy plantation in advance and ensure the Yasangi paddy harvesting is completed by March end of every year. The Chief Minister said that it is good to complete the harvesting before March as there are chances of untimely rains.
He further directed the agriculture department to conduct more scientific studies in this direction and sensitize the farmers. “Farmers should also be made aware of the use of fertilizers,” he said.
The Chief minister directed the officials to create awareness among the farmers on the changes that occur in agricultural practices through leaflets, posters, advertisements etc.
KCR directed the secretary of the agriculture department Raghunandan Rao, to alert the officials in this direction from time to time to the lower level AEOs. “They should always be available to the farmers and give suitable instructions to monitor in this direction,” he added.
KCR made it clear that the officials should work at the field level by using Rythu Vedikas (Farmers’ platforms ). “Strict action will be taken if the officials failed to discharge their duties sincerely,” he warned. The Chief Secretary Santhi Kumari has been asked to carry out surprise inspections.
“Telangana agriculture is witnessing fast growth. The Department of agriculture should be constantly alert and carelessness will not be tolerated,” he said.
The Chief minister made it clear that the officials and staff from the lower to the higher levels should be updated from time to time and thoroughly understand the objectives of the state government’s agricultural policies and work more dynamically.
