Agricultural Pump Sets Across State Will Be Connected With Electric Meters: CM Jagan

Following the successful execution of a pilot project in the Srikakulam district, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said on Friday that agricultural pump sets across the state will be connected with electric meters briefly.

He emphasized the need of educating farmers about the function of these meters through Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs), claiming that the opposition parties were misinforming them.

Jagan, speaking at a review meeting on the agricultural sector on Friday, said that the meter saved 30 percent of electricity and that the initiative will benefit farmers and the power industry as a whole.

The utilities will be able to provide excellent electricity in all regions once the meters were installed, he claimed.

Input assistance

Jagan stated that a new tranche of input support will be delivered to farmers on May 16 under the Rythu Bharosa plan, and crop insurance will be paid before June 15 to assist farmers in preparing for the Kharif season.

In addition, in the first week of June, 3,000 tractors and different agricultural tools will be given free at 4,014 custom hiring centers. On May 11, financial aid under the Matsyakara Bharosa plan will be distributed.

Jagan emphasized the significance of performing periodic social audits in accordance with rules to guarantee that farmer-targeted schemes were delivered, and directed that attention be paid to the functioning of RBKs and e-cropping.

He ordered staff to respond quickly to accusations of non-payment of minimum support prices and to guarantee that banking correspondents were accessible at RBKs to fulfill farmers' needs.

Various crops were planted on 90.77 lakh acres in the Kharif season of 2021 and 54.54 lakh acres in the Rabi season, according to officials. Due to favorable circumstances, there was potential for growing a third crop on over 1,00,000 hectares. Fertilizers of 6 lakh metric tonnes were prepared for the Kharif season.

Jagan instructed authorities to issue crop cultivator rights cards to tenant farmers and to undertake a demand assessment in order to offer various types of equipment to farmers, particularly small and marginal farmers.

Drones

Jagan also told the authorities to encourage farmers to use drones to the fullest degree conceivable, given their many applications.

The Central government's directions (for putting 'Kisan drones' into service) should be implemented, the Chief Minister remarked, and an action plan to implement the millets policy should be developed.

Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy, Chief Secretary Sameer Sharma, AP Agriculture Mission vice-chairman M.V.S. Nagi Reddy and Special Chief Secretary Poonam Malakondaiah were also present.