Andhra Pradesh to become Agricultural Powerhouse

Amaravati: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has said that the farmer-friendly measures sown in by the Government are reaping rich results in the State which is poised to become an agricultural powerhouse in the coming days and the Market Statbilisation Fund has shown its full utility in the times of COVID-19 which is coming to the rescue of farmers.

Speaking on the second day of the brainstorming session of "Our Governance and Your Suggestion" with the theme Agriculture and Allied activities here on Tuesday, the Chief Minister said the Market Stabilisation Fund has come in handy during the COVID-19. "There was a bounty crop, but there was no way out for the farmer to sell his produce. The markets were closed, there was no transport due to lockdown and the farmers were in despair. We purchased produce worth Rs 1,100 cores directly from the farmers, including perishable goods like banana, tomato, and gave them MSP.

The State has come to the rescue of aqua farmers well by arranging for transport and export during the lockdown," the CM said. During the crisis period, the State has purchased 80,522 quintals of onion and sold it at Rythu Bazars. "During the eight month period we have purchased 5.60 lakh metric tones of agriculture produce and paid Rs 2,200 core from Price Stabilisation Fund. We purchased paddy, and cleared Rs 960 crore dues of the previous government, and 384 dues of seed purchased as well," he said.

"During my 3,468 km padayatra I could hear the plight of farmers and the thoughts of coming to their rescue have germinated during that time which has a clear reflection in the manifesto. The farmer falls in distress on three occasions. The first occasion is during the pre-sowing season, as he needs money for inputs from seeds to fertilizers, pesticides and other costs. The second one is during calamities, and the third one is when there is no MSP for his produce," he said. Keeping that in view as over 70% of the farmers have small land holding of 2.5 acres or less, YSR Rytu Bharosa PM Kisan scheme has come into being to help the farmer during the beginning of kharif and rabi seasons. "Though our manifesto said that Rs 12,500 would be given for a period of 4 years, we have decided to pay Rs 13,500 for a period of five years accumulating to Rs 67, 500 to each farmer."

"The amount is paid in three phases Rs 7,500 during pre-khariff season, Rs 4,000 at the start of Rabi season and Rs 2,000 during the festival season of Sankranti," he said.

"In the first year itself we have given Rs 10, 209 crore to the farmers while the previous government which promised to waive loans worth Rs 87, 612 crore could not write off even Rs 15,000 crore during its entire term of five years. This apart we have cleared Rs 960 crore dues to farmers that TDP has left behind. When 417 farmers died, the previous government did not pay any amount and we have paid Rs 5-lakh ex gratia each family of the deceased farmer. Subsequently after we came to power, 229 farmers died and we have given Rs 7-lakh ex gratia to each of the family," he said.

"We have paid insurance premium of Rs 1,270 crore and have activated the zero interest loan scheme to farmers which the previous government has neglected," he said. Giving data of nine-hour free power to farmers the Chief Minister, who worked out the details at micro level, said that the amount that will be spent on each farmer per year works out to Rs 49,000 and the total cost to the State would be Rs 8,800 crore.

But the infrastructure is to be modernised and 82% of the feeders would be ready for nine-hour power supply to farmers in daytime by this kharif and we have released Rs 1,700 core for upgrading the feeders. The upgradation work on the remaining feeders would be completed by rabi, he said. Under zero per cent interest to loans the state is spending Rs 2000 crore.

The setting up of 10,642 YSR Rytu Bharosa Kendras, which serve as a one-stop facility for farmers for all agriculture needs and Janata Bazars that would come up in the next year would make the villages self sufficient and help to become a powerhouse in agriculture, he said. The RBKs will be equipped with all the data, knowledge and labs useful to the farmer from soil testing to marketing opportunities.By next year Janata Bazars would also be set up next to RBKs where local agriculture produce including poultry, dairy and aqua products would be sold. The entire idea is to weed away middlemen from the scene and extend the benefits to the farmers, he said adding that what we want is to see the farmers happy.