Fertiliser shops to be converted into PMKS centres, says Kishan

Hyderabad: Union Minister and State BJP chief G Kishan Reddy said here on Wednesday that PM Narendra Modi will launch 1.25 lakh PM Kisan SevaKendras (Kisan SamriddhiKendras) during the day. Addressing the media, he said all 2.8 crore fertiliser retail shops in the country will be upgraded to PM Farmers Service Centres in a phased manner. In the first phase, 1.25 lakh retail shops, including, 4,000 shops in Telangana, will be upgraded into PMKSS. Reddy asked farmers to participate in the programme.

‘The PM will also release the 14th tranche of PM Kisan Samman funds into accounts of 8.5 crore farmers, including, about 39 lakh in Telangana, will receive money in their accounts. The PM will announce activities on Thursday to increase the marketing network for farmers’ products by bringing the Farmer Producers’ Organisations (FPOs) under OPDC.

Under the concept of ‘One Country’, ‘One Fertilizer’, the supply of fertilizer under the Bharat brand name is to be implemented from tomorrow. The PMKSS centres will have all agri implements made available for sale, including drones, for spraying pesticides at dealers at district level.

These centres will also guide farmers on crops they should plant and educate them about which fertilizer to use. Along with seed testing, testing of water used for agriculture is also being implemented from tomorrow for the first time in the country. These centres will also run awareness programmes and coordinate with banks and farmers regarding crop insurance scheme.

“We are going to implement a ‘Kisan Ki Baat’ farmers’ group meeting from tomorrow to know problems of farmers. It will be on the second Sunday of every month,” Reddy added.

Apart, from tomorrow, the centres will implement the programme of creating a WhatsApp group with farmers under the Kisan Seva Kendra and send regular weather, agricultural and market updates. The staff working in PMSKs will be trained by the department of fertilizers.

Reddy said fertilizer prices have increased all over the world. But the Centre has been providing fertilizers to farmers without increasing prices for the last several years. The PM will also launch Nano Urea. He said in the last nine years, the Centre has been supporting farmers by increasing the MSP.

After the BJP government came to power in 2014, farmer welfare programmes have increased. “Fertilizers, seeds, agri implements, Kisan Samman Yojana are being implemented at low prices.” The one-stop initiative to meet all necessary needs of farmers by the government is a revolutionary change’. Quality seeds and fertilizers are available to farmers at specified prices. There will be soil-testing and seed--testing facilities. The PMSKs will create awareness about the Central and State schemes related to farmers.

The programme to upgrade 2.80 crore retail shops as PMKSK are going on. He recalled how after Modi became the PM, problem of blackmarket of urea disappeared with the supply of neem-coated urea. Soil quality has increased. The neem-coated urea is available from tomorrow, he said.

In the days to come, the Centre will work with dedication for welfare of farmers.

On the Congress and BRS initiating a motion of no-confidence in the Lok Sabha, Reddy said, the Congress, BRS and MIM are one and the same and worked together in the past. These parties, directly and indirectly, ruled Telangana. ‘Our fight against them will continue’.