Amaravati: Farmers had sowed well in 2019 election and are reaping a bounty harvest with Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy rolling a green carpet and continuing the legacy of being farmer friendly through his various welfare schemes and projects.
The Year has seen good rainfall, bounty crop and in the testing times of Covid, the Chief Minister gave the much needed helping hand by buying agriculture produce, even perishable goods, and ensuing MSP and checking the price fluctuations.
The farmers could not have asked for more, with Rythu Bharosa being given in three timely spells, corp insurance, input subsidy, soft loans, setting up of Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) which serve as one stop shop for all the needs of farmer from supply of quality seeds to procurement and marketing facilities.
The year has also seen the horticulture and aquaculture farmers getting their due share and unveiling of plans for setting up of cold storage units, godowns, agri labs among others.
With Polavaram poised for completion and other projects moving fast, the extent of land under cultivation would also be increased. Arid and upland farmers have seen Jala Kala with the drilling of bore wells and free power for nine hours in day time has become a reality.
Some of the schemes taken up for farmers include:
*YSR Rytu Bharosa*
Though YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has promised to pay Rs 12,500 for four years, the amount was increased to Rs 13,500 and the period extended for five years. Rs 7,500 and Rs 4,000 would credited to the farmer’s bank account before Khariff and Rabi seasons and Rs 2,000 would be given during Sankranti. This time around, Sankranti sets in early as the Rs 2,000 is being given on December 29 benefiting 50.47 lakh farmer families and the total amount being Rs 1,009 crore. Nivar Cyclone compensation is also being credited on November 29.
*RBKs*
The State has set up 10641 RBKs at Village Secretariat level and appointed 10,500 technically qualified VAAs /VHAs/VSAs. RBKs are multidimensional centers through which farmers will get all the services of agriculture and allied sectors from seed and feed to marketing and beyond.
*Free power to farmers*
Majority of the feeders in the state have been upgraded and made available from this Kharif season to provide 9 hours quality free power to farmers during day time by spending Rs.I700 crore towards modernization of feeders. This would be helpful to 18.3 Lakh Agriculture bore wells working in the state. The annual expenditure for free power is worked out at Rs.7065 crore.
‘YSR Free Crop Insurance’
‘YSR Free Crop Insurance’ scheme would provide support to the farmers’ at all hard times without levying any burden of premium on farmers. The State Government directly credited Rs 1252 Crore into the bank accounts of 9.48 lakh farmers who have lost their crop during 2019.
*Input Subsidy*
The State government is providing input subsidy to the farmers to cover the losses in the same crop season.
The state government has released directly into the farmers accounts for the crops damaged during Kharif 2020 (June to October). An extent of 1.56 Lakh hectare was damaged due to Heavy rains received during the period for which an amount of Rs.222.14 crore was released to 3.09 Lakh farmers. Horticulture crops in an extent of 0.32 Lakh hectare was damaged due to heavy rains received during the period for which an amount of Rs.63.36 crore was released to 0.71 Lakh farmers.
*YSR Sunna Vaddi*
Under the scheme, Rs 510.32 crore was deposited into the bank accounts of 14.58 lakh farmers on November 17 towards interest subsidy for 2019 khariff. In all the State has released Rs 1,073 crores, which include the arrears of interest subsidy of the previous government.
*Procurement under Price Stabilization Fund*
The State Government has setup Price Stabilization Fund (PSF) of Rs.3000 crore aiming to provide market intervention to those farmers whose crops are selling below the MSP. CMAPP is developed for providing end to end solutions, from taking daily price alerts from each RBK to undertake procurement. For the first time, the State government has intervened through AP MARKFED to support Tobacco farmers and purchased 12.93 Million Kgs of FCV Tobacco valued 119 crore. During Kharif 2020, Groundnut crop damaged due to untimely rains was given relaxation on FAQ norms and started procuring in four Rayalaseema districts with MSP of Rs.4500 per quintal of non-FAQ quantities.
*Kisan Rail*
The Kisan Rail left for Delhi from Anantapur carrying the fruitful aspirations of the farmers of the State. It has carried 138 tonnes of Banana, 32 tonnes of Sweet Orange, 11 tonnes of Papaya, 8 tonnes of Melons and 3 tonnes of Mangoes and 214 tonnes of Tomatoes.
During COVID crisis, tonnes of fruits and vegetables were exported from Anantapur to Mumbai port through 11 special trains. Nearly 45,000 tonnes of bananas, 1185 tonnes of vegetables, 1471 tonnes of fresh mangoes and 8,000 tonnes of mango pulp were exported to other countries
*E- Crop*
All the crops, Agriculture, Horticulture, Sericulture, Social forestry, Fodder & Fisheries are digitalized farmer wise and survey no. wise in c-Crop app, which is a single source of truth for all Farmer welfare schemes like Free Crop insurance, Sunna Vaddi Panta Runalu, Procurement of Agricultural commodities etc., and enabling benefit to actual cultivators.
*Farm Advisory Boards*
The State has established the "Agriculture Advisory Boards" at State, District and Mandal level for better crop planning and marketing of Agriculture Produce based on Agro Climatic Situations at Village Level.
*Multi Purpose Facility Centers*
The State Government has been strengthening RBKs by constructing multipurpose facility centers with an estimated cost of Rs 9932 crore. The facilities include Warehouses, Drying Platform, Collection Centers, Cold Rooms for Storage, Custom Hiring Centers, Primary Processing Centers, Assaying Equipment, Janata Bazaars, Bulk Milk Cooling Units, Cattle sheds and aqua infra in select Villages, Procurement Centers and e-marketing.
*Dr. YSR Agri Testing Labs*
Dr. YSR Agri Testing Labs are being established in the state to ensure availability of quality agricultural inputs like Seed, Fertilizer and Pesticides to the Farmers. 147 labs at Constituency Level, 13 labs at District level and 4 Regional Coding Centers across the state with an budget outlay of Rs. 197.09 Cr being extended by NABARD under RIDF scheme.
*YSR Jalakala*
Under YSR Jala Kala, 2,00,000 bore wells with a cost of Rs.2340 crore would be drilled in the next four years bringing in an estimated five lakh acres under cultivation through groundwater irrigation.
*Livestock Loss Compensation Scheme (YSR Pasu Nashta Parihara Pathakam)*
Compensation is paid for livestock loss by fanners @ Rs.I 5,000/ - per Non-Descriptive cattle/buffalo and Rs.30,000/ - per Improved cattle/buffalo and Rs.6000/- per adult sheep/goat
Y.S.R. Matsyakara Bharosa
Under the scheme, 1,09,231 fishermen were given Rs 109.23 crores at the rate of Rs 10,000 each as financial assistance during the off-season(April 15-June 14) ban on fishing in high seas and due to lack of work due to Covid on May 6. (Previous year figure Rs 102.47 crores).
The State has started 35 Integrated Aquaculture Labs in 9 coastal districts for quality testing. AP State Aquaculture Development Authority Act 2020, AP Fish Feed (Quality Control) 2020, Amendments to AP Aquaculture Seed (Quality Control) Act 2006 and AP Fisheries University Bills were passed in Assembly to promote Aquaculture.
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