CM KCR issued deputy collector joining orders to Santosh Babu wife

The State Government has appointed Santoshi, wife of Col Santosh Babu who martyred in the recent clashes on the Indo-China Border, as Deputy Collector. Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao on Wednesday at Pragathi Bhavan handed over the appointment letter to Santoshi. The CM has instructed officials concerned to post Santoshi in Hyderabad and its surrounding areas. The CM has asked his Secretary, Smita Sabharwal, to be with Santoshi till she gets the proper training and settles down in her job. The CM had lunch with 20 of the family members of Santoshi who accompanied her to Pragathi Bhavan. He had enquired about their well-being. The CM assured that the government would always stand by Col Santosh Babu’s family. Ministers Jagdeesh Reddy, Prashanth Reddy, Niranjan Reddy, MP from united Nalgonda District Badugula Lingaiah, MLAs Gyaderi Kishore, Bollam Mallaiah Yadav, Chirumarthi Lingaiah, Saidireddy, Zilla Parishad Chairperson Deepika Yugandhar Rao, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, DGP M Mahender Reddy, Chief Advisor Rajiv Sharma and others participated.

 
REVIEW ON AGRICULTURE:

Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao has called upon the Agriculture department to work with firm commitment and hard work to make the agriculture sector in the state a profitable vocation. The Telangana state has more than one crore of agricultural land under cultivation with lakhs of farmers living by it. The CM said there should be a major transformation from the existing traditional farming methods. The Agriculture Department should guide and lead the farmers, educate them about the strength of organised sector vis-à-vis the unorganized sector, impart better agriculture practices and profitable methods. The CM desired that since the Telangana State is becoming an agriculture-based State, the agriculture department too should strengthen itself institutional wise. He said, if need be, the government is ready to sanction more posts to the department. The CM said that farmers in the State are cultivating the crops as suggested by the government cent percent. The CM instructed that the data on which farmer cultivating what crop to what extent of land should be collected without fail.

The CM held a review meeting on the Agriculture department at Pragathi Bhavan here on Wednesday. Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy, Rythu Bandhu State President Palla Rajeshwar Reddy, Government’s Chief Advisor Rajiv Sharma, Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, Principal Secretary (Agriculture) B Janardhan Reddy, Additional Director Vijay Kumar, Deputy Director Shailaja and others participated.

“To develop the agriculture sector, the efforts put in in the Telangana are unparalleled and no one ever made such an attempt in the history of independent India till now. We have spent Crores of rupees, constructed major projects and are giving water free of cost to farmers. We have abolished Water Cess completely without even charging a single rupee. Moreover, we have written off the old dues. Uninterrupted, 24x7 quality power is supplied to the farm sector free of cost. Under the Rythu Bandhu Scheme, financial input needed for agriculture is deposited in the account of farmers for each crop. In case any farmer dies, his family members were given Rs 5 Lakh under Rythu Bhima policy. Even during the financially difficult times due to the Corona Pandemic, the government had procured each and every crop cent percent from the farmers. To unite the farmers, the government took the imitative and set up Rythu Bandhu Samithies.  The construction of Rythu Vedika cluster-wise will be completed in the next three months. The Rythu Vedikas will become the Farmer Awareness Dias’s. Any one including the CM will be able to interact with farmers directly,” the CM explained.

“Agriculture should become profitable in Telangana state. Ultimately, the farmers should become rich farmers. For this, the government is making several attempts and spending more funds. If the government efforts are to be fruitful, the agriculture department should play a very active role. The modern agriculture practices should replace the traditional ones. Study the farming practices world over and implement them in the State. There should be a tangible transformation in the farm sector. Latest and modern methods should come in the agriculture.

Mechanization should increase. There are single pick crops all over the world now. Study those crops. Find out which Crops would be better for Telangana based on the weather and environment conditions here. Find out cropping patterns of those crops. Farmers and officials should go on scientific tours. They should study the best farming practices in the state, country and abroad. Study the markets. Cultivate crops in such a way to suit to the eating habits of people in the village and urban areas. Ensure that they get the quality vegetables, food grains. For this, the agriculture department should create special wings and each wing should be headed by one Additional Director. We have appointed one Agriculture Extension Officer for every 5000 acres. If more AEOs are need due to the increase in extent of land under cultivation, they can be appointed. Revamp the agriculture sector in tune with the present day needs. Revamp Horticulture department also and decided on which crops should be under its jurisdiction,” the CM said.

“Telangana farmers have the awareness to welcome the change. Hence, they have gone in for regulatory Farming cent percent. When they were told that maize cultivation during the Monsoon season is not profitable, they did not go for maize cultivation.  The farmers have realised that the attempts made by the government was for their sake. Hence, if farmers are given the required guidance, farming can become profitable. Collect the data on which farmer cultivated which crop at what extent? This is very important,” the CM said.

“The starvation problem arisen out of a crisis is very cruel. It causes more damage, destruction and loss of lives than a war. Hence, the country should not face any food shortage and it should be self-reliant in the essential commodities production. No other country will be able to feed our country which has 135 Crore population. We have to become self-reliant in the production of food grains so that we can feed our own people. The country should become self-reliant. Efforts should also be put in place to give not only food but also a nutritious food to people, the CM explained.