With Niti Aayog identifying Bhupalpally as the most backward, the Council of Scientific and Industrial Research-Indian Institute of Chemical Technology (CSIR-IICT) has come forward offering technological support for promotion of organic farming and sustainable agriculture practices in the district.
A team of scientists from the CSIR-IICT arrived here on Tuesday and held discussions with Collector D. Amoy Kumar and other senior officials on possible technological initiatives to be taken for the development of the district selected under backward districts development programme by NITI Aayog.
The Collector sought technological support to increase output in agriculture with minimum expenditure and allied activities, reducing usage of chemical fertilisers and pesticides to help farmers reduce input costs.
He also asked for suitable technology to address the issues of seasonal diseases, malnutrition and to ensure quality drinking water.
Help was also sought to enhance educational standards in government schools and colleges, besides launching job-oriented programmes to help the unemployed youth.
The team of scientists comprising R. Srinivas, M. Sridhar Reddy and Hari Singh among others told the Collector that they would offer pheromone technology to control the pink worm in cotton crop.
About one lakh pheromone traps would be provided to cotton farmers along with extension of technical support to prevent spread of diseases like malaria and filariasis.
The team also offered help with introduction of mobile teaching labs to improve professional skills of teachers and to maintain quality educational standards.
District revenue officer P. Mohan Lal, agriculture officer Anuradha and educational officer Srinivas Reddy took part in the meeting.
