Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has assured that his government will stand by the farmers, regardless of the severity of the drought.
The Chief Minister acknowledged the drought situation in the state, emphasizing the need to collectively confront this challenge. He highlighted that the prolonged absence of adequate rainfall has led to a decline in reservoir water levels, intensifying the water crisis across all regions. Notably, leaders and farmers from Karimnagar, Khammam, Nalgonda, and Mehboobnagar are urging the release of water from reservoirs. The Chief Minister appealed to all farmers to grasp the gravity of the situation and underscored the importance of ensuring an adequate drinking water supply during the upcoming summer, assuring that all necessary efforts are underway.
The Chief Minister inaugurated the Rythu Nestham programme, a groundbreaking initiative of the state government, via video conference from his residence on Wednesday morning. Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka, Agriculture Minister Tummla Nageswara Rao, Agriculture Commissioner Raghuvanandan Rao, representatives of farmer unions, and senior officials actively participated in the programme from the Secretariat. Numerous farmers from various districts joined the conference, sharing their success stories about profitable crop cultivation.
The programme was launched innovatively by connecting 2601 Ritu Vedikas across the state through video conferencing to directly address the people’s issues. In the initial phase, video conferencing units have been established in 110 assembly constituencies on an experimental basis. The State Agriculture Department initiated this programme with a budget of Rs 97 crore, in collaboration with Prof. Jaishankar Agricultural University. This approach allows state authorities and agricultural experts to directly engage with farmers in villages and fields, understanding their concerns and offering crop advice and updates regularly. It also facilitates experienced farmers in sharing their insights with their peers.
MLAs and District Collectors actively participated in the programme’s inauguration conducted through video conference. (INN)