Andhra Will Give 2,000 Drones To Farmers And Spend Rs 15,000 Crore In Paddy Procurement

The YSR Congress government plans to spend Rs 15,000 crore on paddy procurement, including discolored grain and will provide 2,000 drones to farmers for farm-related activities.

This was stated by Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy during a review meeting on agriculture he held with officials. He requested that officials establish a drone training center in North Andhra to train farmers in the region.

Ministers Kakani Govardhan Reddy and Karumuri Venkata Nageswara Rao were present, as were senior officials.

The CM also requested that officials prioritize providing seeds and fertilizers to farmers through RBKs. Even during the Rabi season, there should be no shortage of these.

The officials stated that they were working on plans to distribute Kisan drones and agricultural implements to farmers through RBKs at a 50% subsidy. Farmers will be trained in the use of drones through an Acharya NG Ranga Agricultural University programme beginning in December.
Drones and agricultural implements will be distributed in March, May, and June, according to Jagan. There would be a total of 2000 drones distributed. 500 drones will be distributed in the first phase.

The CM also directed officials to develop plans for implementing the Plant Doctor Concept and conducting soil testing programmes each April. He proposed that farmers be given soil test certificates after completing the soil tests and that they be educated on the crops to be cultivated and the fertilizers to be used in their agricultural lands.

Steps must also be taken to provide RBKs with soil testing instruments and to complete mapping in each village to ensure that the use of fertilizers and pesticides is limited to what is required.

The chief minister also instructed officials to be prepared to distribute compensation to farmers who suffered losses as a result of the Mandous cyclone. Officials informed him that seeds had already been distributed to farmers on a subsidy basis.

Jagan remarked in light of 2023 being designated as the International Year of Millets. According to officials, an action plan for the distribution of millet to people has been developed.

According to officials, food grains worth Rs 5,373 crore have been procured from farmers on the chief minister's orders, and payments have been accelerated and completed up to 89 percent in time for the Sankranti festival. The procurement would last until the second week of February.

According to Jagan Reddy, procurement should be based on e-cropping data, with no millers or middlemen involved. To ensure that farmers do not suffer financial losses, steps should be taken to strengthen the current system. "Once the procurement is completed, the entire responsibility rests with the government," he said, adding that farmers should be given a special phone number to air their grievances.
While the Telugu Desam government spent Rs 8,000 crore per year on procurement, the current government has spent Rs 15,000 crore per year on procurement of food grains, including discolored paddy, to keep farmers happy.

We are also making immediate payments to farmers in an unprecedented manner, he said.

MVS Nagi Reddy, vice chairman of the AP Agri Mission, Tirupal Reddy, adviser to the government (agriculture), Madhusudhan Reddy, Special CS (agriculture-FAC), Chiranjeevi Choudary, and other officials were present.

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