Andhra Pradesh government to announce MSP for crops on October 1, procure paddy from ryots 

VIJAYAWADA: Stating that Minimum Support Price (MSP) for various crops will be announced on October 1, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy has directed the Agriculture department to take steps for displaying details of MSP at all Rythu Bharosa Kendras by October 5.  

“Care should be taken to ensure that farmers get more remunerative price than the MSP and in case it does not happen, market intervention should be implemented,” the Chief Minister stressed.

Addressing district collectors and other officials at a Spandana review held online on Tuesday, the CM said harvesting season for Kharif is about to start and asked the officials to prepare for paddy procurement. He wanted RBKs to play a crucial role in the same. 

Officials were instructed to display e-cropping details at RBKs and if any farmer’s name is missing, verify it and post the same. Agriculture village assistants have to pay special attention to this aspect, he added.

Stating that paddy and other crops will be procured in a farmgate system, he wanted the officials to ensure that registration of the farmers is done properly and issue coupons intimating them the date of procurement. 

Facilities Centres

The CM said the government has decided to set up Multi-Purpose Facilities Centres (MPFCs) at all RBKs so as to help the farmers before, during and after cultivation of crops. Warehouses, cold storages, custom hiring centres, primary processing (grading and sorting), paddy procurement, Janata Bazaars, bulk milk cooling units, aquaculture facilitation, e-marketing platform will be part of these MPFCs. The collectors were directed to acquire land needed for these MPFCs in the next two weeks and hand it to the agriculture department.

A total Rs  6,300 crore will be spent for MPFCs next year. As PACs (Primary Agriculture Cooperatives) will be made part of the process, all the PACs have to submit their reports to AP State Cooperative Bank Limited in the next one week. 

Agri Advisory Committees

Officials were also directed to constitute Agriculture Advisory Committee (AACs) at state, village, mandal and RBK levels and ensure they meet on a regular basis.

“In fact, these AACs have worked satisfactorily during Kharif, which saw cotton cultivation limited to 5.75 lakh hectares in Prakasam and Kurnool districts and a variety of paddy seeds were successfully changed. Now, focus should be on providing better seeds, fertilisers and pesticides for Rabi,” the CM said and asked the officials to find alternatives to bengal gram. 

On the progress of village/ward secretariats permanent buildings construction, he observed that progress is slow in East Godavari, Krishna and Prakasam districts and he directed the officials to complete the process by March 31.

 He said another 25 RBK buildings should be constructed On MGNREGs, he said works have to be completed as per targets. “In every Assembly constituency, Rs  10 crore worth works have to be completed in one week. In successful cases, permissions for additional Rs  5 crore worth works will be accorded,” he said. 

Observing that joint collectors are not serious in visiting village and ward secretariats, the Chief Minister directed them to visit them at least four times a week and asked the district collectors to pay special attention to it.

They were asked to ensure rice cards, Aarogyasri cards, house site pattas, pensions are provided at prescribed time. Biometric should be used in distribution of these cards. The Chief Minister observed that Visakhapatnam, Krishna and Guntur are lagging behind in distribution of these cards.

He directed the officials to implement Standard Operating Protocols (SPOs) for beneficiaries of various schemes and ensure that no eligible is left out and no ineligible gets benefited. 

Schemes to be implemented in October

• October 2 - ROFR pattas distribution to benefit 2 lakh tribals 

• October 5 - Jagananna Vidya Kanuka (School kits)

• October last week - Interest-free loan of Rs  10,000 each for street vendors