Farmer police stations to be set up in Andhra Pradesh soon

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy directed officials to ensure various legislations, brought by the government to safeguard the interests of the farmers and aquaculturists, are not violated. He also advocated measures to be initiated to ensure farmers do not get cheated. 

Addressing a review meeting with higher officials of agriculture and allied sectors at his camp office on Tuesday, he asked the agriculture department officials to coordinate with the police department for drafting an action plan for setting up special police stations for farmers. In an earlier review meeting, the Chief Minister had mooted the idea of ‘farmer’ police stations to protect their interests. 

He said awareness should be created among tenant farmers under Polambadi programme on cultivator rights Acts and also that they won’t have any problem with crop cultivator rights card and posters with this information should be displayed in Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs). 

The Chief Minister said hoardings should be placed at RBKs, village clinics and village secretariats with details of services being provided so that awareness will be created among people. He said steps should be taken for setting up an insurance company on behalf of the government for crop insurance and a special officer should be appointed for it.

The CM said steps must be taken for payment of insurance money for Kharif 2020–21. He directed officials to release the first tranche of Rythu Bharosa Scheme in May and said special focus should be on organic farming with crops to be purchased under RBKs and added that regular monitoring should be done on the same. He stressed on the message that millers should come directly to RBKs to buy the crop should be strongly conveyed. 

Later, Jagan reviewed the AP Amul Project and also on setting up of Aqua hubs. He also reviewed fund pooling and setting up of multi-purpose facility centers.

Reviewing Janatha Bazaars, he discussed the proposals for setting them up in an area of 500-5,000 sqft. It was decided to set up Janata Bazaars for a population of 5,000 in the first phase and have buildings constructed to house them. 

Jagan said quality items  should be available in Janata Bazaars at lower prices. He said farmers should get a minimum support price for their produce and the same should be made available to consumers at lower prices, benefitting both farmers and consumers.