Amaravati, Aug 4 (IANS) The Andhra Pradesh government on Tuesday decided to extend subsidised electricity to aqua farmers located in non-aqua zones from this month.
Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to provide electricity to farmers in non-aqua zones at the same subsidised rate of Rs 1.50 per unit that is currently available in designated aqua zones.
He instructed officials to implement the decision from this month. The move is expected to benefit around 12,500 aqua farmers across the state.
Reviewing challenges in the aqua sector, the Chief Minister directed officials to prepare a special action plan to control shrimp feed prices.
He said the State government is in discussions with the Centre to reduce fish meal exports by 50 per cent and instructed officials to ensure that shrimp feed prices remain stable until the Centre takes a decision.
The Chief Minister reviewed the impact of El Niño, deficient rainfall, crop cultivation and water resources with officials at the Secretariat on Tuesday.
He directed officials and public representatives to reach every farmer in the state with the El Niño Mitigation Action Plan, explaining the government’s initiatives as well as alternative cultivation strategies that farmers should adopt. He instructed officials to launch farmer awareness programmes from August 7.
In view of forecasts indicating below-normal rainfall across the state until October due to El Niño, the Chief Minister stressed the need to encourage farmers to adopt suitable contingency plans.
He directed officials to educate farmers on the opportunities available under the PMDS cultivation system and provide them with clear guidance on managing severe weather conditions such as El Niño.
The Chief Minister also instructed officials to disseminate timely field-level information through the Rythu App. He noted that while rainfall has declined, the cultivated area has increased, and directed departments to align their action plans with these changing ground realities.
He emphasised the effective implementation of the El Niño Effect Mitigation Action Plan and instructed that livestock fodder management should also be integrated with the VBG Ram G programme.
Naidu directed officials to implement a support price of Rs 10 per kilogram for off-style tobacco from Wednesday. He instructed officials to procure 94 million kilograms of off-style tobacco, which is expected to benefit around 44,000 farmers.
He also directed the formation of a five-member committee comprising representatives of the State government, the Tobacco Board and farmers to monitor and review implementation.
Officials informed the Chief Minister that 48.27 million kilograms of FCV tobacco have already been procured. To support tobacco growers further, the Chief Minister instructed officials to launch a scheme providing loans of Rs 50,000 per tobacco curing barn (barrel).
Naidu also directed officials to expedite plans to develop Rayalaseema as a horticulture hub and announced that 201 horticulture clusters would be launched shortly.
–IANS
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