VIJAYAWADA: Minister for Agriculture Kakani Govardhan Reddy, who formally assumed charge at the State Secretariat on Thursday, said he was overwhelmed by being given the all-important agriculture portfolio and thanked the Chief Minister for reposing faith in him.“Today, I signed my first file pertaining to the implementation of a drip and sprinkler irrigation project in 3.75 lakh acres at the cost of Rs 1,395 crore,” he said.
Kakani said that in the annual budget for the current fiscal, agriculture was given top priority. Nearly Rs 43,000 crore was allocated for agriculture and allied sectors. “The government’s commitment is clear from the fact that in the last three years, Rs 20,177 crore has been directly transferred to the accounts of the farmer under Rythu Bharosa and another Rs 1,282 crore under zero interest loans for farmers, Rs 3,707 crore under YSR Crop Insurance and Rs 1,612 crore under input subsidy benefit to 14 lakh farmers,” he stressed.
The minister said his second signature was on the file pertaining to sanction of 3,500 tractors under YSR Yantra Seva scheme to the farmers. He also signed another file pertaining to setting up of State Seed Research and Training Centre in Gannavaram with an outlay of Rs 46 crore.Meanwhile, after formally assuming charge as Minister for Water Resources, Ambati Rambabu said he was given a great responsibility of completing Jala Yagnam, started by former Chief Minister YS Rajaksehara Reddy.
Promising to live up to the expectations of the Chief Minister, he said the first file he signed as minister was pertaining to administrative sanction to Rs 4.7 crore as a maintenance grant for Gandikota -Pydipalle Lift Irrigation Scheme and another on the sanction of Rs 26.09 crore grant for the five-kilometre long canal of Madduvalasa Project Phase - II in Srikakulam district.
The minister said the Polavaram project will be completed in time. “There are several hurdles in the way and the government is making every effort to overcome them at the earliest,” he said. Deputy Chief Minister (tribal welfare) P Rajannna Dora, Industries and IT Minister Gudivada Amarnath also formally assumed charge at the Secretariat on Thursday.