VIJAYAWADA: Finally, Agriculture Minister Somireddy Chandramohan Reddy succeeded in holding a review meeting with officials on Friday.  Last time when he conducted a review meeting on April 30, no officials were present. 

The Friday review meeting with officials was for taking stock of the situation with agriculture in view of the cyclone and unseasonal rains in the state. The meeting lasted for two hours and was attended by Special Chief Secretary (Agriculture) B Rajasekhar, agriculture special commissioner Muralidhar Reddy and Horticulture Commissioner Chiranjeevi. 

Later, addressing mediapersons, the minister said he reviewed the measures taken by the department in view of cyclone Fani. “I directed them to take measures to ensure necessary seeds, fertilizers for the farmers during ensuing Kharif,” he said. 

Somireddy attributed credit of the agriculture and allied sectors in the state achieving double-digit growth to the pro-farmer policies of TDP Government.  He said in 2018 Kharif season, 347 mandals were declared drought-hit.