Steps to bring synergy in PSMA

Hyderabad: The AP government has embarked on a new course to chalk out an inter-departmental planning to bring about convergence between Agriculture and Irrigation Departments. This is intended to achieve targets of the Primary Sector Mission of Agriculture (PSMA). According to officials in Agriculture Department, so far the Irrigation and Agriculture Departments were acting independently.

The new move is aimed at improving coordination between two depts The new move was to achieve a synergy between the two departments as both have similar set of goals in their functioning to ensure timely interventions. The action plan is aimed at specifying the roles and set targets for the two departments. The entire exercise is directed towards achieving and fulfilling the success of PSMA with the twin objectives of boosting agriculture productivity. At the same time it is also made to address issues like reducing investments and making agriculture profitable.

As part of the planning the Agriculture Department has to deliver on the objectives of supplying seeds. On the other, the Irrigation Department has been given the task of how much water has to be augmented and supplied under each of the small, medium and major irrigation projects. “The Irrigation Department has to draw a detailed planning along with the team of senior officials from the Agriculture Department for the whole Kharif season.

Confirming the efforts being made in this direction, Principal Secretary Irrigation Aditya Nath Das said that “a meeting was held for chalking out a preparatory action plan for the next kharif season.” And, the whole aim of the convergence is to take stock in advance on how much water is needed and what time of the agriculture season and when the water has to be released, the quantum of water needed under each of the project ayacut were among the issues that had been forms the basis for achieving the objectives of the PSMA, he added.

By VRC Phaniharan