AP is committed to ryots’ welfare, says Minister

The State government was committed to protecting the interests of the Krishna Delta farmers. The welfare of the farmers was one of its highest priorities, said district in-charge Minister Thota Narasimhulu.

The Minister, who was in the district on Thursday, in an informal chat with reporters at the State guest house told them that arrangements would be made to ensure that irrigation water was available to farmers even in the tail-end areas and asked farmers not to have any doubt on it. Along with water, fertilizer and pesticide required by farmers during kharif would also be made available. Measures were taken to ensure that there was no shortage of agricultural inputs, he said.

Later, participating in the swearing-in ceremony of the new Gannavaram Agricultural Market Yard governing body, Mr. Narasimhulu said that protecting the interests of farmers was the primary objective of the State government. He said the Central government waived crop loans to the tune of Rs. 75,000 crore all over the country for the welfare of farmers. In the State, it waived Rs. 14,000-crore loans and it also extended loans to over three lakh farmers at very low interest rates under the ‘pavalavadi’ scheme. Farmers also got interest-free loans up to Rs. 1 lakh under a different scheme, the Minister said.

Compensation

The compensation to farmers who lost their crop was increased to Rs. 6,000 per hectare and free power was provided to 35 lakh pumpsets in the past eight years, he said.

Thirty lakh tenant farmers were made eligible for various benefits including compensation for crops damaged by natural calamities with the enactment of a new legislation, he said.

Minister for Secondary Education Kolusu Parthasarathi, former MLA Mudraboina Venkateswara Rao, District Congress Committee president Naraharisetti Narasimha Rao, Marketing Deputy Director Diwarkar, secretary Subbamma and officials of the revenue department participated.