TIRUPATI: Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar informed that the Centre has released Rs 351.43 crore (including Rs 201.90 crore for input subsidy) from the National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF) to Andhra Pradesh for the crop damages caused by heavy rains and floods in the State in 2021.
Replying to an unstarred question raised by Tirupati MP M Gurumoorthy in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, the Union Minister said the State government has sought additional financial assistance of Rs 1080.71 crore, including Rs 555.19 crore for agriculture input subsidy, from the NDRF, for the crop damages caused by heavy rains and floods in 2021.
Following the report submitted by the Inter-Ministerial Central Team (IMCT) and the Sub-Committee of the National Executive Committee(SC-NEC), the high-level committee approved Rs 351.43 crore and the same was released to Andhra Pradesh.
Pradhan Mantra Fasal Bima Yojana not implemented in Andhra Pradesh
The Union Minister informed that the Pradhan Mantra Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), a scheme intended to provide financial support and claims against crop losses due to natural calamities, was not being implemented in the State since the 2019-20 Rabi season.
The government has been implementing the Crop Diversification Programme since 2013 in the green revolution states of Haryana, Punjab and parts of UP.
AIIMS nursing college to start
The construction of the nursing college building at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences (AIIMS), Mangalagiri, has been completed, Union Minister of State for health Bharati Pravin Pawar said.
Replying to a question raised by YSR Congress MP Parimal Natwani in the Rajya Sabha, the minister said notification has been issued for the recruitment of a principal, faculty and tutors. The college will start functioning from the next academic session.
Andhra Pradesh changes demand on power
Andhra Pradesh told the Centre that it needed the power from Kudgi and Vallur thermal power plants, Union Minister of Power RK Singh said. He was responding to a question raised by YSRC Rajya Sabha MP Pilli Subash Chandra Bose.
Singh said the Andhra Pradesh government had requested the Centre to exit from PPAs pertaining to allocation of 244 mw from Kudgi thermal power plant and 86.15 mw from NTECL Vallur thermal plant. "However, on March 29, 2022, the AP said that it needed this power to meet the demand."
States have to maintain boats
The maintenance of the interceptor boats used by the coastal security police is the responsibility of the State government, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Nitish Pramanik said.
Responding to a question by YSR Congress MP Gorantla Madhav on the defunct fast interceptor boats at the marine police stations, the minister said AP has been provided 12 boats of 12 tonne capacity and six boats of 5 tonne and the Centre maintained them till 2017.