Take up green house cultivation, farmers told

Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy and Deputy Speaker M. Padma Devender Reddy said the lives of farmers can be transformed with green house cultivation.

Addressing a huge gathering of farmers at this tiny village on Tuesday after launching green house cultivation programme for the first time in the State, Ms. Padma said these programmes were part of building a ‘Bangaru Telangana’.

Mr. Srinivas Reddy said many tanks were neglected by Andhra rulers . Informing that 46,000 tanks were constructed during Kakatiya rule, he said the government was committed to restoring the tanks, which would recharge 20 lakh borewells across Telangana and improve the condition of farmers. Stating that 9,514 tanks are being taken up at a cost of Rs. 2,100 crore in the first year, he said these programmes would directly benefit farmers. “Poly house will protect the crop from natural problems like heavy rains, severe heat and cold and improve financial conditions. In the last one decade, only Rs.  24 crore was sanctioned for 125 acres in Telangana under this scheme with 50 percent subsidy,  while this year the subsidy being offered is 75 percent to cover 1,000 acres every year at a cost of Rs.  250 crore,” said Mr.  Srinivas Reddy.  He said small farmers can take up cultivation even in 500 metres. The government has been offering 75 per cent subsidy on the unit cost of Rs. 39.36 lakh, that comes to Rs. 29.52 per acre which includes construction of poly house, drip irrigation equipment, preparation of beds, plantation of saplings and management of poly house. The government has fixed a target of 250 acres for Medak district in the year 2014-15 for green house construction.  In the first phase, the programme was taken up in 50 acres at an estimated cost of Rs. 73.8 core. So far applications were received from farmers to take up green house cultivation in 44.28 acres.

As many as 147 mandals falling in 100 km radius in Medak,  Ranga Reddy, Mahabubnagar, Warangal, Nizamabad and Nalgonda districts will be covered, Mr.  Srinivas Reddy said, adding that the government has sanctioned Rs. 200 crore and one need not pay any bribe to get works done.

Restoration of tanks will recharge 20 lakh borewells across Telangana, says Agriculture Minister