100% subsidy for SCs, STs in drip irrigation: Minister

Nizamabad: The Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy said that the state government has allocated Rs 44 crore for taking up drip irrigation in the district. He participated in a review meeting held at Zilla Parishad (ZP) office here on Friday.

Speaking on the occasion, Srinivas Reddy said that Rs 44 crore was sanctioned for drip irrigation activities in the district. “SC, ST beneficiaries would get 100 per cent subsidy and for others it would be 90 per cent for cultivating lands through drip irrigation,” he added. The Minister also mentioned that Rs 14 crore was allocated to farmers for purchasing farm equipment. “Farmers interested in buying agricultural machinery would get 50 per cent subsidy,” he said.

Pocharam instructed officials to utilize funds allocated by the 13th Finance Commission for providing drinking water and construction of toilets in every village.
He asked the officials and people’s representatives to take measures to prevent lake encroachments. He pointed out that Rs 23 crore was released as input subsidy for the farmers of the district from 2009-13. District in-charge Collector Venkateswar Rao instructed the officials to prepare village-level plans in coordination with local representatives based on 14 parameters like health, education, agriculture, employment and others. Newly elected ZPTCs and MPPs have brought to the notice of the Minister about various issues pending in their mandals.

Earlier, Dafedar Raju took charge as Nizamabad ZP chairman in the presence of Pocharam Srinivas Reddy. Bodhan MLA Shakeel, Balkonda MLA Prashanth Reddy, Jukkal MLA Hanmanth Shinde and other officials were present.