Chouhan Announces Roadmap To Modernise Agriculture In Telangana
Centre To Focus On Modern Farming Practices, Crop Insurance And Key Agriculture Schemes
Union Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday said the Centre would soon roll out a roadmap to take modern agricultural practices to farmers across Telangana and help them increase their incomes to levels achieved by progressive farmers, with some earning up to Rs 5 lakh per acre.
Speaking at the “Ashirwad Ka Diya” programme at Timmapur village in Ranga Reddy district, the native village of Union Coal and Mines Minister G Kishan Reddy, Chouhan said Central schemes, including PM-KISAN, Per Drop More Crop, Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) and the Soil Health Card Scheme, would be implemented fully in Telangana.
The programme was organised to mark Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s birthday.
Chouhan said a conference of agriculture ministers and senior officials from southern states would be held in Hyderabad on Friday to discuss issues concerning farmers and the agricultural sector. The conference is scheduled to discuss the Digital Agriculture Mission, Farmers’ Registry, fertiliser management, horticulture, natural farming, pulses and precision farming, among other issues.
He also criticised the previous BRS government for not implementing the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) during its tenure. He said the present state government had decided to implement the crop insurance scheme from the next financial year to provide financial protection to farmers against crop losses.
Kishan Reddy said the Centre’s welfare schemes had reached villages across the country, including Timmapur. He said road infrastructure works worth more than Rs 100 crore had been taken up in the village.
Reddy also said farmers were receiving benefits of around Rs 18,000 per acre through subsidised fertiliser supply. He said the Centre had kept fertiliser prices unchanged despite price increases in several countries to support farmers.
He added that more than 80 crore people across the country were receiving ration through fair-price shops.