Telangana state is role model in farming: Niranjan
Ministers S Niranjan Reddy, Errabelli Dayakar Rao and Satyavathi Rathod lighting the lamp at the preparatory meeting of kharif cultivation in Hanumakonda on Tuesday
Warangal: Who else knows sustainable irrigation management better than the Warangalites, Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy said, referring to the chain link irrigation tanks of Kakatiya Dynasty.
Speaking at the preparatory meeting of Kharif cultivation in Warangal, Mahbubabad and Jayashankar-Bhupalpally districts here on Tuesday, he said that Kakatiyas tapped every drop of rainwater efficiently through chain link irrigation tanks and made agriculture viable in the region.
"The advent of Kaleshwaram Lift Irrigation Project (KLIP) is a boon for the farmers, who now have abundant supplies. Thanks to Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao who revolutionised the agriculture sector by ensuring irrigation facilities," Reddy said. KCR made agriculture viable by providing financial assistance to the farmers through Rythu Bandhu, free 24-hour power supply, Rythu Bima etc.
Reddy said that the onus is on agriculture scientists to guide the farmers by organising awareness camps about the productivity of crops besides advising them about demand-based crops. "Every farmer should become a role model in Telangana," he said.
Minister for Panchayat Raj Errabelli Dayakar Rao said that KCR is the savior of farmers. "Even though farmers cultivated paddy much against the advice of the government, KCR has come forward to procure the crop to bail out the farmers," Errabelli said.
He sought coordination between the farmers and agriculture officials before the commencement of the kharif season. He told the farmers to think about oil palm cultivation which is lucrative. He said that the government had constituted a committee to provide a solution to farmers from the monkey menace. Stating that land prices in Telangana skyrocketed to phenomenal heights, Errabelli said that it indicates the demand for farm activity.
Tribal Welfare Minister Satyavathi Rathod urged farmers to focus on crops other than paddy that have demand. Rythu Bandhu Samithi State president Palla Rajeshwar Reddy said that the government gave utmost priority to the agriculture sector since 2014.
Greater Warangal Mayor Gundu Sudharani, MP Maloth Kavitha, legislators Peddi Sudarshan Reddy, Shankar Naik, Gandra Venkatramana Reddy, Aroori Ramesh, Baswaraj Saraiah and Banda Prakash were among others present.