The government will pay the power charges of farmers using greenhouse technology. Presently they are being charged commercial tariff. But hereafter they would be treated on a par with agriculture farmers, said Telangana Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
Greenhouse farming would be taken up in 1,000 acres under a pilot project surrounding the city. It would cover all farmers. The government would consider providing 90 per cent subsidy to such farmers, Mr. Rao said after renaming Acharya N.G. Ranga Agriculture University after Prof. Jayashankar here on Wednesday. He also unveiled the statue of the Telangana ideologue at the inner gate of the administrative building besides opening an indoor stadium and veterinary hostel for girls. A special postal cover on Prof. Jayashankar was released on the occasion.
Mr. Rao said it was proposed to survey each and every farm land in Telangana and computerise the data about soil quality, temperature, wind velocity to determine the crops suitable for the area. From next year, crop colonies would be launched. Farming would not be a liability anymore but an asset, the Chief Minister assured.
He asked the farmers to go in for seed cultivation as the land in Telangana was conducive for it. The government would tie up with seed companies and make buyback arrangement. If they did not show interest, the government would set up a seed corporation itself and buy the entire lot. He asked the Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy to take the farmers to the Ankur village in Nizamabad district which was supplying seeds to Punjab.
The Chief Minister called for making Telangana self-sufficient in production of vegetables and other horticultural crops. The State required 110 lakh tonnes of vegetables per year, of which 50 to 60 lakh tonnes came from other States while Telangana produced just 3 to 4 lakh tonnes.
Mr. Rao asked the Agriculture University to revive seed production and regain its past glory. The university should play leadership role and take up research. He promised to provide sufficient budget to the varsity. Earlier, the Chief Minister inaugurated an agribusiness centre and interacted with farmers of Medak, Mahabubnagar and Ranga Reddy districts.
