Producers’ organisations to be formed

About 37 lakh poor people will benefit from ‘Palle Pragathi’ or ‘Telangana Rural Inclusive Growth’ programme under which producers’ organisations will be formed and training imparted to the members in various livelihood activities, including agriculture.

Some 2.5 lakh farmers have been chosen to be members of the producer organisations, to be imparted training in modern farming practices and techniques, so that their income is raised by 50 per cent.

The details came out after a review meeting on Tuesday by Minister for Panchayat Raj K.T.Ramarao, and Minister for Agriculture P.Srinivas Reddy, with senior officials of the two departments.

The programme will be implemented in 2,879 village panchayats in 150 backward mandals, covering about 78 lakh people, a press communiqué informed. A total Rs.264 crore will be spent on agriculture and related livelihoods, which include cultivation of paddy and red gram, dairy, poultry, sheep rearing, seed production, horticulture and pisciculture. Mr. Rao asked Mr. Reddy to allot an agricultural officer and a veterinary officer each for each of the districts for the scheme.

Mr. Reddy spoke to the media after the review meeting and stated the aim of the programme as developing agriculture and related sectors by achieving high yield at reduced investments.

Roadmap

For the first time ever, the Telangana government will experiment with cage culture for growing fish, under the ‘Palle Pragathi’ scheme. As per details revealed by Mr. Srinivas Reddy, cage culture will be taken up as a pilot project in select locations.