Ensure MSP to paddy farmers, CM YS Jagan tells officials

Vijayawada: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy held a review meeting on Agriculture and Civil Supplies Departments at the camp office here on Monday and directed the officials to focus on paddy procurement ensuring that the farmers are being paid remunerative price, without any role of millers.

During the review, the Chief Minister emphasised on providing minimum support price (MSP) for agricultural produce and said that farmers should get better benefits without suffering any loss. He instructed the officials to conduct quality and quantity testing of paddy at all Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) during procurement.

He told the authorities to create awareness among the farmers about the process of procurement and MSP through pamphlets, posters and hoardings. He instructed them to take all the necessary measures to prevent fraud and irregularities and told them to install weighbridges at the RBK level. Officials have been told to involve women employees of village secretariats in the crop procurement by providing incentives.

Further, the Chief Minister said that soil tests should be conducted regularly and soil test cards must be handed over to the farmers including all the details regarding their land. The officials were directed to provide advice and suggestions on the use of fertilisers and cultivation of crops in accordance with the nature of the land limiting their usage. He instructed the officials to conduct soil tests after the end of every kharif and rabi season. He said that RBKs should be helpful to farmers in crop cultivation.

Besides, he also discussed on RBKs stating that measures should be taken for the effective functioning of Rythu Bharosa Kendras by coordinating with the line departments. He said that RBKs were facilitating farmers from seed procurement to marketing of produce and offering services related to fisheries, animal husbandry and free power supply. He stressed on coordination among departments like Agriculture, Fisheries, Revenue, Civil Supplies and Disaster Management. He asked the officials to chart out an effective plan for the smooth functioning of RBKs.

Agriculture Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy, Civil Supplies Minister Karumuri Venkata Nageswara Rao, Chief Secretary Dr Sameer Sharma, Agriculture Department Special Chief Secretary Poonam Malakondaiah, Civil Supplies Commissioner Girija Shankar, Agriculture Commissioner C Harikiran, Marketing Commissioner Pradyumna, Civil Supplies Corporation VC and MD Veerapandyan and other senior officials were present.