State seeks Centre’s support in setting up FPOs

Minister Niranjan Reddy interacts with Union Agriculture Minister

Minister for Agriculture S. Niranjan Reddy participating ina video conference conducted by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Friday.

The State government has requested the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to consider inclusion of Nagarkurnool and Wanaparthy districts suitable for producing quality mango, paddy and groundnut in establishing farmer producer organisations (FPOs) under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) in addition to Kumram Bheem-Asifabad, Jayashankar-Bhupalapally and Khammam districts proposed by the ministry.

Minister for Agriculture S. Niranjan Reddy made the request during a video conference held by Union Minister of Agriculture Narendra Singh Tomar with Agriculture Ministers of States from New Delhi on Friday on the progress of RKVY and Kisan Credit Cards (KCCs) implementation.

Mr. Niranjan Reddy explained to the Union Minister that the State government is encouraging establishment of at least one or two FPOs in every mandal (Tahsil), and 501 FPOs are already functioning successfully.

Stating that there were 60.95 lakh landholding (pattadar) farmers in the State, Mr. Reddy said about 89% of them are getting institutional credit and KCCs are provided to about 41.61 lakh farmers who had availed crop production loans. On the contrary, the benefit under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) is being extended to only 36.79 lakh farmers, he said. However, the State government is extending investment support under Rythu Bandhu scheme to every landholding farmer and ₹7,253.54 crore had already been credited into the farmers’ bank accounts for the Vaanakalam (Kharif) crop season at the rate of ₹5,000 per acre to all those who had given their landholding, Aadhaar and bank account details to the officials concerned.

The Union Minister stated that the Centre is planning to extend ₹1 lakh crore credit with interest subsidy to the States over the next four years for the development of infrastructure in agriculture sector. In response, Mr. Reddy felt that it would have been more useful had it been given as grant. He also explained about the increase in irrigation facilities with the completion of Kaleshwaram and several other pending projects, construction of storage facilities and crop drying platforms (yards).

Besides, the State is also planning to set up food processing zones in every Assembly constituency in 400 acres to 1,000 acres land.