KCR gives up farmer’s `8K sop
CHIEF MINISTER said the sop will cost the government `12,000 crore per year which will be allocated in a special Agriculture Budget.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao announced on Sunday that he would not avail of the `8,000 per acre per year that his government is handing out to farmers from April this year.
Mr Rao made the announcement at the regional conference of Farmers’ Coordination Councils.
The CM owns an 85-acre ‘farm’ in Erravelli near the city, making him eligible to claim `6.8 lakh every year. This newspaper had reported the CM’s willingness to give up the subsidy in its issue dated January 15, 2018 titled, “KCR to give up agriculture subsidy of `8,000”.
Mr Rao requested rich farmers like himself to follow suit so that the benefit reaches only the needy.
“Those who want to opt out of the sop can do so. The government will not take back that amount. The amount thus saved will be deposited with the State Farmers’ Corporation, and will be used for the benefit of farmers,” Mr Rao said.
He said the sop will cost the government `12,000 crore per year which will be allocated in a special Agriculture Budget which is being introduced by the state government for the first time for 2018-19, and presented in the Budget session of the State Legislature in March.
Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Sunday said that agriculture in the state will be regulated and organised to ensure that farmers get remunerative price for their produce and they are are exploited by traders in agricultural market yards.
“From sowing of crops to transportation of agricultural produce to the markets, everything will be regulated by farmers’ coordination committees from village level to the state level. The crops will be sown in such a pattern that they meet the food needs of people. Right now, if some farmers earn profits through tomato crop, every other farmer is opting for the same. This is leading to over production, resulting in a price crash and causing loss to all. This will not be the case in Telangana any longer. We will create crop colonies in the state based on agro-climatic conditions,” Mr Rao said.
He added, “Each colony will cater to a particular crop and ensure that there is no over production of any crop.”
Addressing the regional conference of Farmers’ Coordination Councils here, Mr Rao announced the appointment of Nalgonda Lok Sabha member Gutha Sukender Reddy as the first chairman of the State-level Farmers’ Coordination Council.
The CM announced `200 crore seed fund for the statelevel Council which will function like a corporation besides giving `7,000 crore bank guarantee to the corporation to purchase agri produce from farmers directly for minimum support price (MSP) in case traders refuse to buy stock in the market yards.