Whether the “farmer-centric budget” or the input investment-insurance scheme, Telangana State, through its agenda to make farming profitable will soon become a model for the country, Nalgonda MP and Rythu Samanvaya Samiti chairman Gutha Sukhender Reddy said here on Monday.
Several farmers’ organisations and activists, curious about the plans and procedures of the scheme are already approaching the Samiti from across the country, he said. In a first visit to the district after his selection for RySS chairmanship, Mr. Sukhender Reddy said agriculture got its lion share too, alongside irrigation, with about ₹ 25,000 crore earmarked for farming and its allied operations, farm mechanisation and RySS included.
Of the allocation of ₹ 300 crore seed money for the Samiti, proposals for construction of Rythu Vedika (meeting halls) at ₹ 12 lakh each are being made. And 2,650 such clusters have been identified, and the designated officer per each cluster are being trained, he informed.
While the Samiti would take care of all aspects of farming – from advice on seeds, soil, fertilisers, mechanisation to minimum support price, Mr. Sukhender Reddy also thought the Samiti could curb farmer suicides. “Let us know if any farmer is under financial stress from any lender or borrower. We will try and find solutions,” he said.
Plans of cold storage units and agro-processing units per constituency are also being drawn.
Asked if there could be bias in the implementation of the scheme, he said the Samiti would extend benefit, just like Aasara pensions, Shaadi Mubarak, sheep distribution, irrespective of the beneficiary’s affiliation.
