Go in for alternative crops

CM to cotton growers
KCR directs district Collectors to hold meetings with cotton farmers and persuade them to switch to other crops

Hyderabad: Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao on Friday directed the district Collectors to encourage cotton farmers to switch to alternative crops like Soyabean as the cultivation of ‘ cotton crop is no longer a profitable avocation.

The Chief Minister gave this instruction to the Collectors in vie wof the union government’s recent decision to revoke subsidy on tax on Cotton exports at WTO meeting held Kenya. The cotton cultivation has its worse impact on Telangana State which is one of the major cotton exporters in the country.

The Chief Minister instructed the officials to take up extensive campaign and create awareness on the financial implication if Cotton farming was continued. The officials were asked to hold meeting with cotton farmers at village level and educate them on the necessity of switching to other crops.

KCR directed the officials to complete mission Bhagiratha works before the advent of rainy season. All the necessary clearances from Forest Department for laying pipelines, pump houses and construction of water treatment plants should be obtained immediately, he said.

The Chief Minister also reviewed in detail the progress in the revival of water bodies under Mission Kakatiya. He suggested changes in the guidelines in the execution of works in second phase programme launched recently.