AP TO SPEND `12K CRORE TO DEVELOP FARM FACILITIES

The state government will spend `12,000 crore on developing multi-purpose farm facilities, including warehouses, drying yards, cold rooms and crop collection centres, apart from acquiring farm equipment and machinery. Tenders will be finalised by April 15 for construction of warehouses within a year, officials informed Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy at a Palavelluva review meeting.

Officials said farmers are getting a fair price due to implementation of various government schemes. They pointed out that the cost of buffalo milk in YSR Kadapa district, which was `44.31 earlier, is now `53.95, leading to a gain of `9.64. Similarly, there is additional profit of `7.80 on cow milk, whose price has increased from `25 to `32.80. In Chittoor district, farmers have gained an extra `8.75 on buffalo milk and `8.13 on cow milk. In Prakasam district, the gains are `14.15 and `8.78 respectively.

Earlier, officials informed the Chief Minister that DCCBs of Kadapa, Kurnool, Anantapur and Eluru are in poor condition. Their licenses could be cancelled soon. They pointed out that 45 per cent of primary agriculture cooperative societies (PACS) are running in losses and 49 percent of mandals are not linked to DCC banks’ network. They suspected corruption in disbursal of loans as no technology is being used to track loan distribution and collection.

Agriculture and cooperatives special chief secretary Poonam Malakondaiah, cooperative services special secretary Y. Madhusudan Reddy, commissioner and registrar of cooperative services Ahmed Babu and other officials were present in the meeting with Chief Minister.

THEY POINTED out that the cost of buffalo milk in YSR Kadapa district, which was `44.31 earlier, is now

`53.95, leading to a gain of

`9.64. Similarly, there is additional profit of `7.80 on cow milk, whose price has increased from `25 to

`32.80. In Chittoor district, farmers have gained an extra `8.75 on buffalo milk and `8.13 on cow milk.