Yeruvaka Pournami Celebrated Across Godavari Districts
Tourism minister Kandula Durgesh extended his greetings to the farming community and urged farmers to adopt natural farming and alternative crop cultivation.
Kakinada: Yeruvaka Pournami, marking the commencement of the agricultural season, was celebrated across Kakinada, the Ambedkar Konaseema, Eluru, Polavaram, East Godavari and West Godavari districts on Monday, with farmers performing traditional rituals before beginning cultivation.
Tourism minister Kandula Durgesh extended his greetings to the farming community and urged farmers to adopt natural farming and alternative crop cultivation. He said the government would extend all possible support to farmers.
The tradition of worshipping farmland and livestock, he said, reflected the close bond between farmers and nature and expressed hope for good rainfall, abundant harvests and prosperity despite the threat of the El Niño effect.
In Polavaram district, collector Dinesh Kumar, state ST commission chairman S. Bojjireddy, Rampachodavaram MLA and legislative committee chairperson Miriyala Sirisha Devi, joint collector Surapati Prashant and others participated in the celebrations at Gangavaram village.
The collector said the programme was organised to create awareness on kharif cultivation, promote modern agricultural practices, encourage the use of quality seeds and fertilisers, disseminate information on government schemes, strengthen coordination between agriculture officials, scientists and farmers, and improve farm incomes through higher productivity.
He urged farmers to adopt scientific farming methods and make effective use of government schemes. He said 10,430 quintals of paddy seed had been supplied to farmers in Polavaram district with a 90 per cent subsidy.
At Pithapuram, Sri Viswa Vignana Vidya Adhyatmika Peetham seer Umar Alisha participated in the traditional Bhijarohana programme after ceremonially ploughing the ashram land. He expressed hope that farmers would receive good yields despite the possible impact of El Niño and said the Peetham had been organising Yeruvaka Pournami celebrations for the past seven years, beginning each year with worship of cows before cultivation.
Rajamahendravaram's entomology coordinator and principal scientist Narasimha Rao, Peruri Suribabu, progressive farmer Padma Reddy and others were present.
Kakinada collector Harendhira Prasad and Jaggampeta MLA Jyothula Nehru participated in the celebrations at Mamidada village in Jaggampeta mandal. The collector distributed subsidised red gram seeds to farmers.
Konaseema collector Mahesh Kumar and Amalapuram MLA A. Ananda Rao took part in the celebrations at Samanasa village, while West Godavari collector Nagarani and Tanuku MLA Radhakrishna participated in the programme at Mandapaka village in Tanuku mandal.
