Farmer's body demands restoration of MI subsidy
Gali Chandra told reporters that farmers were suffering severely due to non-implementation of micro-irrigation schemes
KADAPA: District general secretary of AP Farmers Association Gali Chandra has demanded restoration of subsidy on micro-irrigation equipment and farm machinery and payment of pending arrears. To this end, he called for a dharna at tehsildar's offices on October 21.
Representatives of farmer's associations collected signatures in support of this on Sunday in Ramapuram, Kadapa district. Gali Chandra told reporters that farmers were suffering severely due to non-implementation of micro-irrigation schemes.
He said that in drought-prone Rayalaseema and Prakasam districts, where groundwater levels dropped sharply and crops dried up, it was the drip-irrigation system, which is used to cultivate low-water crops in the hilly areas of Prakasam district, served as a lifeline.
Andhra Pradesh Micro Irrigation Project (APMIP) was set up in 2003 to provide drip irrigation equipment free of cost to SCs and STs within one hectare across the state, 70 per cent subsidy to farmers in Rayalaseema and Prakasam districts with above one hectare land, and 50 per cent subsidy to coastal farmers. He said the government provides a 50 per cent discount on sprinklers.
In 2015, the Union government gave priority to micro-irrigation and included it in the Prime Minister's Krishi Sanchai Yojana. He said 37 companies in the state have completely stopped the supply of micro-irrigation equipment due to non-payment of Rs 1,300 crore that are in arrears to various companies.
AITUC district Deputy general secretary KC Badulla, CPI area secretary Siddi Galla Srinivasu, AP Farmers Association leaders V/ Rangareddy, Gangaiah, Reddeyya, Venkataramana, K. Obayya and Krishnayya were present on the occasion.