Central government striving hard for welfare of farmers in country: Kishan Reddy

Hyderabad: Union Minister G. Kishan Reddy on Saturday said that the Central government has always worked and still striving for welfare of agriculture and farmers. He said that the Central is giving fertilizer subsidy on a large scale for growing crops and buying the ripe crops at proper support prices.

He disclosed that the support price of newly grown crops will come into effect from this Kharif season. Addressing the media at Nampally, he said that the Central government has taken a great decision on MSP which will benefit the farmers.

In 2014, the country's agriculture budget was 21,933 crores and now it has increased 5.7 times to 1 lakh 25 thousand 33 crores in nine years, he said.

He also said that Centre has sanctioned Rs.28,590 crore agricultural loans through Kisan credit cards and has distributed 23 crore soil health cards.

He informed that rice exports has increased to 109 per cent.

He added that the import of cooking oils has reduced drastically. He recalled that import of oil was worth lakhs of crores. Now 1500 per cent increase in collection of oilseeds from farmers.

The Union Minister said milk production, eggs, meat production has significantly increased.

India stands in third position in egg production, 8th position in meat production, collection of pulses has also increased by 7300 per cent.

Fertilizer subsidy has also increased by 500 per cent from last year to this year.

Disbursement of 20 lakh crores of credit to agriculture sector in this financial year was achieved.

While giving all incentives and subsidies to agriculture, the Centre has taken steps to ensure that crops are insured in case of loss, he added.

He also recalled that duri9ng UPA regime the compensation was given only in case of 50 per cent crop loss.

E-name markets 1260 are running well. The Centre is promoting fish products on a large scale by setting up a ministry specifically for the fisheries industry.

We are producing more than the country's needs and exporting the rest, he added.

There is an increase of 60 to 80 percent on each agricultural product in terms of MSP comparing to that of 2014.

Sunflower oil export has increased by 80 per cent since 2014. In order to encourage cotton farmers and to encourage the handloom industry, the Central government has increased ASP by 75 per cent in the last nine years. The MSP of crops like maize and soy has been increased by 50 per cent, 82 per cent on sajjas, 52 per cent on vegetables and 1,360 for common type of rice to 2,183 rupees today.

The Central government is giving large scale subsidy regarding fertilizer subsidy. If one bag of urea costs 2,503 rupees, the Modi government takes only 267 rupees from the farmers and gives the rest. Center is giving a subsidy of 2421 rupees to DEPs. A farmer with one acre is getting a subsidy of Rs 18,400 from Rythu Kendra for using 4 bags of urea and 4 bags of DAP for two crops. 24,500 per acre farmer if PM Kisan is also included, Kishan Reddy informed.

We are giving 6 thousand annually to 39 lakh farmers in Telangana through PM Kisan Samman Yojana.

Ramagundam Fertilizer Factory was started with 6,300 crores. Due to the non-implementation of the crop insurance scheme in Telangana, which is being implemented throughout the country, the farmers have suffered a severe loss, he said.

He assured that the Centre will work for the completion of small irrigation projects under Simchai Yojana. Under this, 11 projects have been identified in Telangana and 1,248 crores have been allocated till now for their completion.

In Telangana, the Central government has sanctioned loans for sheep breeding and other agricultural projects through LCDC with an amount of Rs.23,948 crores, he added.

He also informed that Rs 214 crores allocated to Telangana under Oil Palm Mission

Encouraging large-scale dairying and fisheries Centre has given Rs 27 thousand crore subsidy to Telangana farmers on fertilizers alone.

Before the arrival of the Modi government, there was a huge shortage of fertilizers. Farmers used to queue up. There have been cases of death due to heart attack due to fertilizers in the state and Modi has brought fertilizer revolution. He brought in 'Vepaputa' urea which is good for farmers.

Urea is going to be introduced under the name of 'Bharat Brand'. Nano urea is coming. For this we are taking steps for 8 plants.

Centre spent Rs.3,307 crore on procurement of grain through FCI in Telangana, but now it is spending Rs.26,307 crore.

Centre is giving free rice worth Rs.33 kg to 84 crore poor people.

Subsidy for cultivation, MSP in purchases, free for poor.

If the Central leaders were requested several times to bring a textile park to the state... there was no response from the State government.