Hyderabad: The Honorable Chief Minister K. Chandrashekhar Rao has given a call to the farmers’ coordination committee – The Rythu Samanvaya Samithi – that it should play a key role in the activity of distribution of pattadar pass books and distribution of investment support scheme cheques under Rythu Bandhu as well as in implementation of farmers’ Life Insurance Scheme. CM made it very clear that the government decided to provide investment support for agriculture to rescue the farmer from debt trap but certainly not aiming at votes in the elections. He also criticized, that, the promise of congress leaders that they would waive the farmers’ loans to a tune of Rs 2 lakhs saying that it is a gimmick to get votes in the elections and it is an impossible task for them to do so. CM said that this government fulfilled every promise made in TRS election manifesto for the welfare of farmers and has even gone beyond that and is implementing many schemes though not promised in manifesto. He said that the second installment of cheques under Rythu Bandhu will be given in November as announced.
That, On Rythu Bandhu scheme CM had a meeting with District coordinators of Rythu Samanvaya Samithis on Tuesday at Pragathi Bhavan. Deputy CM Mahamood Ali, Ministers Pocharam Srinivas Reddy, Laxma Reddy, Chairman Rythu Samanvaya Samithi & MP Gutha Sukhender Reddy, MPs J. Santhosh Kumar, B. Vinod Kumar, Boora Narsaiah Goud, MLA Aroori Ramesh, Chief Advisor to Government Rajiv Sharma, Chief Secretary S.K. Joshi, Finance Principal Secretary Ramakrishna Rao, Agriculture Commissioner Jagan Mohan Rao, CMO Secretary Smita Sabarwal and District Coordinators from all districts participated in the meeting.
“There was a time when Telangana farmer lived with great respect and honor. The farming was fairly good. Farmers were in a position to offer donations in tune with their status. The policies adopted in united state pushed agriculture into a bad shape. Farmer has become looser in all aspects. We thought that the situation should improve after formation of Telangana. Accordingly, we initiated and implemented several schemes benefiting farmer. To begin with we waived the farmers’ loans to a tune of Rs 17,000 Crore. Then constructing irrigation projects; fertilizers and seeds are provided on time without any delay.
Like this several measures have been undertaken. Pattadar Pass Books are distributed based on purification of land records. We introduced investment support scheme and avoided farmer going for private loans. Towards this we are giving Rs 8,000 per acre in two installments. In addition we decided to do life insurance to farmer for Rs 5 lakhs. To make all these programmes a great success the Rythu Samanvaya Samithis must play key role” said Chief Minister.
Continuing his observations CM further said that: “The congress leaders have been saying that they would waive loans of farmer to a tune of Rs 2 lakhs if they come to power. But this is just not possible. The state’s income from all sources is Rs 10,525 Crores. Out of this Rs 2000 Crores are to be spent towards loans. Another Rs 6,000 Crores will have to be spent on employees salaries, pensions, Aasara Pensions and other subsidies. This leaves with just Rs 2,500 Crores for spending on government schemes and other activities. This means incase if we have to waive the loans of farmer to a tune of Rs 2 lakhs, as is promised by congress leaders it requires 20 months and that too if we do not pay salaries to employees. Is it possible? Is it possible to run a government for 20 months without paying salaries to the employees? Under any circumstances it is not possible. However congress party is making false promises which it cannot fulfill. This has to be understood by people”.
“Today the farmer has no power supply problem. No water problem. They need not bother about investment for agriculture. What all they need is supporting price for their agriculture produce. We are making efforts for that. Right from ploughing and seeding till they get minimum support price, the government will do everything at every stage. In accordance with this it is the responsibility of Rythu Samanvaya Samithi to coordinate with farmers. In Israel the agriculture is profitable. There the production and productivity is more than anywhere. There the returns more because they adopt modern agriculture techniques. The district coordinators of Rythu Samanvaya Samithis should visit the Israel. They should learn the techniques adopted there in agriculture and farming. The government will bear the travel and stay cost of the coordinators”.
CM suggestions to coordinators in the meeting.
• Farmers must be educated to go for cropping pattern and instead of all going for similar crop, they should prefer crop in accordance with demand. It should be based on soil category and market demand. Agriculture will be profitable only when good price is secured to each and every produce. This has to be explained by them to the farmer.
• Cropping should be in accordance with the demand and needs of Telangana people.
• The agricultural lands around and near towns and cities must prefer to grow vegetables to meet the needs of surrounding areas. The people living in towns and cities should prefer to use these vegetables. This will benefit both the farmer and user.
• Government in making plans to establish food processing unit all over the state.
• Depending on the climatic conditions, soil category, wind speed, rainfall and temperatures, the entire land in state will be divided into various crop colonies by agriculture scientists. In accordance with this division the farmers should go for cropping pattern and accordingly they need to be educated.
• Agriculture produce should be brought to market on a regulatory system. It has to be decided in advance the schedule of this.
• Farmers are to be skilled to increase productivity. To educate farmer on this the coordinators should visit Israel to study the techniques there.
• With the formation of Rythu Samanvaya Samithy the farmers have been brought into an organised sector and they are strengthened.
• Once the irrigated water, round the clock power, investment and minimum support price came into reality as is happening now, the financial condition of farmer stabilises.
• 2500 farmers Dias are being established all over the state to use it as a platform for farmers meet to discuss their issues regularly.
• Every farmer in the age around of 18 – 60 will be insured for his life at a premium of Rs. 2271 per head to be borne by government. The death could be due to any reason. The insured farmer will have to propose the nominee. From August 15th the insurance bonds will be distributed.