With the truant South West Monsoon badly affecting the prospects of kharif, the government is focusing on rabi.
Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Saturday directed all the District Collectors to review the preparatory measures for the rabi.
In a tele-conference with the Collectors here, Mr. Naidu instructed the authorities to stock up the required farm inputs such as fertilisers (especially urea) and seedlings.
As many as 28 important crops are cultivated in kharif and rabi seasons covering an area of about 63.64 lakh hectares in the State. Among these, 64 per cent of the area is cultivated during kharif and the remaining is cultivated during rabi season.
The Chief Minister wanted the officials of Agriculture and Revenue Departments to work in coordination and support the farmers. He reiterated the government’s commitment to release Rs. 24,000 crore for debt redemption. “Create awareness among farmers and instil confidence among them,” said Mr. Naidu. Emphasising on timely water supply, the Chief Minister directed the officials to monitor the water availability for crops and initiate measures for recharging tanks, besides making people active partners in the government’s flagship programme “Neeru-Chettu” programme.
Meanwhile, Mr. Naidu inquired on the status of MSME loans under the Pradhan Mantri Mudra Yojana (PMMY). He directed the Collectors to analyse the working status of these enterprises and prepare a report on their credit squeeze.
