More irrigation facilities for small, marginal Andhra farmers

Amaravati, April 7 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy directed officials to provide drip and sprinkler irrigation facilities to small and marginal farmers.

He told officials on Tuesday to distribute them in the stipulated time while reviewing horticulture, micro-irrigation and agri-infra at his camp office.

During his review, Reddy noted that the government was drilling bore wells for small and marginal farmers, including providing micro-irrigation facilities which will result in good yields.

"All the works should be done in saturation mode and every eligible person should benefit from the schemes being implemented and there should be no scope for corruption," he observed.

The Chief Minister directed officials to prepare an action plan to benefit small and marginal farmers.

"Give priority to farmers with less than 10 acres of land in Rayalaseema and Prakasam (districts) and less than 5 acres in other places in providing drip and sprinkler facilities," he said.

According to the CM, procurement of micro irrigation facilities through reverse tendering would help in reducing the cost and benefiting farmers more.

He said the cost of drip and sprinkler systems would be concluded after taking Central and state governments' subsidies into account.

Likewise, Reddy directed officials to focus on the issues being faced by sericulture farmers who grow mulberry trees and improve their situation.

The CM also reviewed setting up of multi-purpose facility centres as part of agri-infra at a cost of Rs 14,562 crore, which will provide 14 types of facilities to farmers, which include dry storage, drying platforms, godowns, horticulture infrastructure, primary processing centres, collection centres, cold rooms and several others.

Reddy told officials to promote organic and natural farming within the limits of every rythu bharosa kendra (RBK), alongside keeping these farming practice's equipment in every custom hiring centre.