VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Friday announced that the government will disburse Rythu Bharosa on May 16 and credit crop insurance compensation to farmers by June 15.Under the farm mechanisation scheme, farm equipment, including 3,000 tractors and 402 harvesters, will be made available to the farmers at 4014 Community Hiring Centres in the first week of June.
Similarly, Matsyakara Bharosa will be disbursed on May 11, the Chief Minister said at a review meeting with the Agriculture Department officials. He directed officials to focus on e-cropping at the village level, by conducting regular social audits. He urged officials to encourage natural farming by setting up a Community Hiring Centre at every RBK.
Officials were instructed to work on starting a six-month internship for university students at the RBKs, as their suggestions and observation will help in improving services. The Chief Minister stated a pilot project to install power metres for agricultural connections in Srikakulam was successful, which saved about 30% of electricity. It will save 33.75 million units as connections increase. The officials informed him that metres will soon be installed across the State for agricultural connections by creating awareness among the farmers.
The officials explained the guidelines formulated by the Centre on the operation and use of Kisan drones. They were directed to set up a Drone Community Hiring Centre with educated farmers under each RBK and asked to train them by introducing a certification course.
Jagan said farmers should be made aware, through videos, the usage of fertilisers and pesticides using drones. He said drones will play a vital role in the future in the usage of nano pesticides and nano fertilisers and said it will reduce overuse of chemicals which is environment-friendly.
The Chief Minister instructed officials to encourage millet farming and focus on their MSP and processing and asked them to prepare an action plan for the same. The value should be added to millet products. The officials said all the preparations have been made for Kharif 2022. Agriculture Minister Kakani Govardhan Reddy, Chief Secretary Dr Sameer Sharma and other officials were present.
RBKs for FAO Award
The Chief Minister congratulated officials as RBKs got nominated by the centre for the Food Agriculture Organisation Champion Award. RBK is the only new concept from the six nominations. While four are from the research end, a watershed project from Orissa is also in the list.