GUNTUR: Agriculture minister Prathipati Pulla Rao said that the government was committed to provide interest-free loans up to `2 lakh to help farmers, if crop is damaged or if the produce does not get good price.
Pulla Rao launched ‘Polam Pilustondi’ programme at Chandrajupalem village in Guntur district Tuesday.
On the occasion, the minister said that the government was planning a slew of activities to make agriculture profitable. He urged farmers to adopt advanced farming techniques for better production and instructed officials to create awareness about the modern agriculture techniques among farmers.
“With soil testing crop produce will increase. To help farmers zinc, sulphate and gypsum are provided at half the rate. Production will increase by 10-20 per cent by these minerals,” Pulla Rao told farmers on the occasion.
He further said that, “In case of shortage of water and proper rains drip irrigation is the best method for cultivation. The government is giving drip irrigation equipment to SCs and STs with 100 per cent subsidy. Farmers can purchase the agricultural equipments at half the price and the farmers who are unable to purchase the equipment can hire the equipment in groups.”
He added that a total of `45,000 crore was required for the loan waiver of `1.50 lakh for each farmer and the government was committed to the loan waiver.
Guntur collector Kantilal Dande exhorted farmers to follow the modern farming technologies for better crop yields. He said that farmers were preferring corn next to paddy for cultivation in the district and said that by Aug 15, 11 TMCs of water would be released from Pulichintala project and the necessary measures for the rehabilitation of eight submergence-prone villages were taken. Pedakurapadu MLA K Sridhar was present at the programme.