Hyderabad, June 18 (RAHNUMA): The Telangana government on Wednesday announced a series of major decisions relating to agriculture, farmer welfare, fertilizer availability, crop procurement, Hyderabad Metro expansion and administrative reforms following an informal cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.
Briefing the media after the meeting at the Secretariat, Minister for Irrigation and Civil Supplies, N Uttam Kumar Reddy, Minister for Agriculture Tummala Nageswar Rao and Minister for Panchayati Raj Seethakka said the government had decided to formally launch the distribution of Rythu Bharosa investment support assistance for the forthcoming Kharif season from a massive farmers’ convention ( Rythu Sammelanam) to be held at Madhira in Khammam district on June 30.
“A large public meeting will be organised on the occasion, and the Rythu Bharosa assistance will be credited directly into the bank accounts of farmers across Telangana from the same platform,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.
The Minister said the Cabinet also approved the continuation of the state government’s bonus for seven popular fine rice varieties cultivated by Telangana farmers. “The decision was taken based on market demand and consumer preferences. The bonus will be applicable only to BPT-5204, RNR-15048, HMT Sona, Jai Sriram, KNM-1638, WGL-44 and KNM-7715 varieties.
These varieties account for nearly 83 per cent of the fine rice cultivated in the state and enjoy strong market demand even outside the government procurement system,” he said.
Minister Tummala Nageswar Rao expressed concern over fertilizer allocations to Telangana and said that the Centre had assured monthly allocations of around two lakh metric tonnes of urea, but had not supplied the committed quantities during recent months.
He said that Telangana should have received substantially higher fertilizer stocks by now.
The government also demanded that a larger share of urea produced at the Ramagundam Fertilizers and Chemicals Limited (RFCL) plant be earmarked for Telangana, instead of being transported to distant states, Tummala said.
The Minister further argued that allocating locally produced fertilizer to Telangana farmers would reduce transportation costs and prevent shortages during the critical agricultural season.
In view of weather forecasts indicating below-normal rainfall and possible dry spells, Tummala Nageswar Rao appealed to farmers not to rush into sowing immediately after receiving the first rains. The farmers should follow the guidance of Agriculture department and ensure adequate soil moisture before sowing, he said.
The Minister said at least two spells of around 7 mm rainfall each would generally be necessary to create suitable moisture conditions for germination and crop establishment. Farmers were urged to avoid premature sowing that could result in crop losses if dry spells follow.
Uttam Kumar Reddy said the Cabinet also resolved to urge the Centre to expedite approvals required for the expansion of Hyderabad Metro Rail Phase-II.
The government sought immediate sanction of the loan proposed through the Indian Railway Finance Corporation (IRFC) and appealed to Union Ministers and BJP MPs from Telangana to support the project in the larger interest of Hyderabad’s commuters. Metro expansion was crucial for addressing growing traffic congestion and meeting the transportation needs of the city’s rapidly expanding population, he said.
Uttam Kumar Reddy further stated that the government announced the introduction of a Digital Cabinet system and IT Minister D. Sridhar Babu has provided special tablets to the Chief Minister, Deputy Chief Minister and the Ministers.
“The move is aimed at promoting paperless governance and improving administrative efficiency. From now on- the Cabinet notes, agendas and other official documents would increasingly be handled digitally, reducing dependence on paper and streamlining decision-making processes,” Uttam Kumar Reddy said.
He also informed that the government also announced free travel in Telangana State Road Transport Corporation (TGSRTC) buses for students appearing for the upcoming NEET examination. Around 2.95 lakh students are expected to appear for the examination at approximately 2,008 centres across the state. Students will be allowed to travel free of cost upon producing their hall tickets, a measure intended to ease the burden on candidates and their families, he said.
Panchayat Raj Minister Seethakka said the government had constituted a Cabinet Sub-Committee to examine the implications of the Centre’s proposed changes to the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS). The committee comprises- N Uttam Kumar Reddy, Thummala Nageswara Rao, Vivek Venkataswamy and Seethakka.
The committee will study developments in other states, assess the financial burden on Telangana and recommend the state’s future course of action regarding the proposed reforms. The government has expressed concern that certain proposed changes could reduce employment opportunities and increase financial obligations on states, she said.
The Minister said the sub-committee would consult stakeholders and submit its recommendations shortly.
