Hyderabad: Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister K
Rosaiah today expressed confidence that copious rainfall this
season would result in a bumper kharif crop.
"We are committed to the welfare of farmers who
constitute the backbone of the state`s economy," a release
from the Chief Minister`s office quoted him as saying during
an official meeting.
"Encouraged with the favourable monsoon, the state
government is now hopeful of bettering the previous record of
204 lakh metric tonnes food grain production in 2008 and
reaching 208 lakh metric tonnes this year," it stated.
The Chief Minister had a discussion on the progress of
agricultural operations in the state with the Minister for
Agriculture N Raghuveera Reddy and other senior officials.
Rosaiah said Prime Minister Manmohan Singh repeatedly
told him that the Centre looks to Andhra for more food
production for enhancing its contribution to the nation`s food
security.
He said the state government has taken up steps for
increasing storage of foodgrains and had decided to encourage
construction of godowns by private sector in addition to
taking up construction of several godowns on its own.
Rosaiah was informed that during kharif season this year,
the state government has planned to supply 36.75 lakh metric
tonnes (LMTs) of fertilisers to meet the targeted food-grain
production against the requirement of 17.80 LMTs upto July.
13.01 LMTs have been sold in all the districts so far and
4.86 LMTs of different grades of fertilisers have been
positioned in various places as on July 20, 2010, the release
said.
Rosaiah has requested the Centre to extend interest
subsidy under Pavala Vaddi scheme (loans at 3 per cent
interest) to rescheduled crop loans of farmers in
drought/flood affected mandals, the release said.
He said Rs 11,189.54 lakh is to be released towards input
subsidy to the affected small and marginal farmers whose crops
were damaged due to natural calamities in the previous year,
it said.
The Chief Minister hoped that with all the facilities and
benefits and very good rains, resulting in good inflows into
reservoirs, farmers will be blessed with record production
during kharif and Andhra Pradesh will be able to sustain its
number one position in agricultural production in the country,
it added.
PTI
