AP presents agri-allied budget of ₹41,436 crore

VIJAYAWADA: The Andhra Pradesh government on Thursday presented an agriculture and allied sectors’ Budget for 2023–24 with an outlay of ₹41,436.29 crore, emphasising on Kisan drone technology and “Per Drop More Crop” scheme.

While agriculture minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy presented the agri-allied Budget in the State Legislative Assembly, animal husbandry minister Seediri Appalaraju did so in the State Legislative Council.

Govardhan Reddy maintained that AP’s growth rate in agriculture and allied sectors has been more than the national average for the last two years – 13.07 per cent against the nation’s 10 per cent in 2021–22, and in 2022–23, 13.18 per cent against nation’s 11.20 per cent.

He maintained that the Jagan Mohan Reddy government has spent ₹₹1.54 lakh crore on agriculture and its allied sectors during the last 44 months as part of its efforts to realise the cherished dream of former chief minister late Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy.

The minister said the state government intends to introduce Kisan Drone Custom Hiring Centres (CHCs) from this year to help farmers sow seeds and spray liquid fertilisers and herbicides, thereby helping farmers reduce input costs and increase their net income. Government plans to set up 10,000 Drone CHCs on subsidy basis in the first phase. 2,000 of them will be set up at a cost of ₹200 crore in 2023–24.

Acharya NG Ranga University will impart training to farmers and rural youth on drone piloting and their maintenance and service. The state proposes to spend ₹80 crore to encourage drone technology.

In addition, it will implement a micro-irrigation programme under Rashtriya Vikas Yojana with emphasis on “Per Drop More Crop” with an outlay of ₹472.50 crore in 2023–24.

Govardhan Reddy said the AP government has proposed ₹12,369.59 crore for agriculture in the Budget, with some of the important allocations being ₹41.55 crore for strengthening Rythu Bharosa Kendras, ₹7,220 crore for YSR Rythu Bharosa – PM Kisan Scheme, ₹1,600 crore for YSR Free Crop Insurance Scheme, ₹500 for YSR Sunna Vaddi Panta Runalu Scheme and ₹2,000 crore for Natural Calamity Relief Fund.

Further, it has proposed an outlay of ₹656.64 crore for development of horticulture, ₹99.72 crore for sericulture, ₹514.74 crore for marketing department, ₹233.71 crore for cooperation department, ₹472.57 crore for Acharya N.G. Ranga University, ₹102.04 crore for Dr YSR Horticulture University, ₹138.50 crore for Sri Venkateswara Veterinary University and ₹27.45 crore for AP Fisheries University.

The earmarked allocation for animal husbandry department is ₹1,114.23 crore, fisheries department ₹500.83 crore, ₹5,500.01 crore for “YSR Uchita Vyavasaya Vidyut Pathakam”, ₹5,100 crore for Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, ₹252 crore for borewells under YSR Jala Kala, and ₹11,908 crore for water resources department.

The minister said the state government has completed pending projects like Sangam and Nellore barrages in Nellore district and dedicated them to the nation in September 2022 to stabilise an ayacut of 38,500 acres.