Global Horticulture Hub To Transform Rayalaseema Into ‘Ratnala Seema’: Nirmala
The GHH would provide farmers an opportunity to increase their income: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman
TIRUPATI: Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Friday said the ₹1 lakh crore Global Horticulture Hub (GHH) would help shed Rayalaseema’s long-standing image as a drought prone region and transform it into “Ratnala Seema”.
Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Sitharaman jointly laid the foundation for the GHH at Madanapalle in Annamayya district on Gandhi Jayanti. They also laid the stone for the Indian School of Agriculture being established by the Reliance Industries in Madanapalle to promote technology-driven agricultural research.
Sitharaman said the GHH would provide farmers an opportunity to increase their income by connecting horticultural produce with global markets. The Centre and the AP government, along with the World Bank and Asian Development Bank, would work together on the initiative.
The union minister said the project would improve the production, processing and marketing of mangoes, bananas, tomatoes and pomegranates and help farmers access premium markets.
Sitharaman said the Centre was taking steps to support farmers and protect them from the rising input costs and crop losses. Kisan Credit Cards were providing funds for cultivation, while steps were being taken to ensure adequate urea availability.
She said the Centre had ordered that farmers should not be charged more than ₹300 for a bag of urea. The government was also implementing crop insurance to support farmers affected by such losses.
Referring to rural development programmes, she said the Gobardhan scheme was being used to produce biogas from rural waste and solar powered farm pumps were being provided through PM KUSUM. The Surya Ghar scheme was promoting solar power. The Centre, she noted, had also introduced schemes for fishermen and livestock-rearers and was working to strengthen veterinary services.
Sitharaman also spoke about her personal connection with Andhra Pradesh. Referring to herself as an “Andhra Kodalu”, she said she had a special affection for the state, particularly Rayalaseema. “I am Andhra Pradesh’s daughter-in-law. I can speak on Rayalaseema at length," she said.
Referring to Anant Ambani, she said she was happy that he had asked people to consider him an “Andhra Bidda”. She thanked him for supporting the Madanapalle initiative and said the Centre would stand by AP in taking forward the horticulture hub and other development programmes.
