Hyderabad: The increased ex gratia will be applicable from September 19, 2015, and farmers who committed suicide prior to this date will get the earlier amount of Rs 1.50 lakh.
The state Cabinet, which met at the Secretariat on Saturday for over four hours, deliberated at length on the spate of suicides by farmers being witnessed across the state for the last few months due to drought conditions, crop failure and indebtedness.
The Cabinet expressed concern over the issue and resolved to take confidence-building measures among farmers.
Deputy Chief Minister Kadiam Srihari, who was entrusted the job of briefing the media, said, “The Cabinet expressed deep sorrow over the recent suicides by farmers despite the TS government taking several farmer-friendly decisions since it assumed office in June 2014, like waiving Rs 17,000 crore crop loans, ensuring adequate stocks of seeds and fertilisers and providing uninterrupted power supply to the agriculture sector. This was because of poor monsoon, crop failure and indebtedness. From April 1 next year, the government will supply nine-hour uninterrupted power supply to the farm sector during the day. We urge farmers with folded hands not to resort to such extreme steps and commit suicide. The TS government is committed to making agriculture profitable by completing all the pending irrigation projects.”
He said a decision on announcing drought-hit mandals would be taken after September 30, based on the rainfall.
The Cabinet also decided to appoint an agriculture extension officer for every 2,000 hectare of cultivable area to assist farmers. The state has a cultivable area of 4 lakh hectares, which will require 2,100 officers.
“At present, there are 1,100 officers and the Cabinet has approved another 1,000, who will be appointed by conducting recruitment exams,” Mr Srihari added.
The Cabinet also approved setting up of a Forest College in Mulug of Medak district. It also cleared setting up of four Indian Reserve Battalions at Adilabad, Ranga Reddy, Khammam and Warangal districts.
“With this, about 3,896 posts, from constable to commandant, will be created, which would be filled through recruitment exams,” the deputy CM said.
The Cabinet also decided to constitute three Thrust Groups to promote the TS industrial policy and attract investments into TS from various countries.
The first such group will focus on China, Japan, Korea and Taiwan, the second group on US, Canada, Europe and the third group on Gulf countries.
Sources said that the Cabinet also expressed displeasure with the recent encounter of Maoists in Warangal district. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is learnt to have asked home minister Nayani Narasimha Reddy to restrain the police department from such incidents in future.
The Cabinet apparently expressed the view that at a time when the by-election for the Warangal Lok Sabha seat was round the corner, the encounter was likely to mar the winning prospects of the TRS candidate since Maoists have a strong presence in Warangal district and it would also be difficult for TRS leaders and cadre to campaign freely.
