Hyderabad: Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao held a review meeting with officials of the agriculture department at Pragati Bhavan on Sunday. At the meeting, he directed officials to conduct regional conferences of mandal-level farmers’ coordination committees on February 25 and 26.

The CM asked for in-depth discussions on the role of the coordination committee members to be held during the conferences. He said the members should be prepared to create awareness regarding the various programmes and measures implemented by the state government for the welfare of farmers in the state.





The CM also announced that a 42-member state-level farmers’ coo-rdination committee would be set up. The proposed committee will consist of agricultural officers, scientists, and specialists as well as representatives from the rural districts. He asked officials to recommend the names of persons who were working in a committed manner for the development of agriculture in the state.

Mr Rao also said the government was planning to introduce a separate Budget for the agriculture sector and he asked officials to prepare draft budget proposals.

The CM said the financial assistance extended to farmers under the investment support sch-eme would be given out in the form of cheques, in two instalments.

He said the first instalment of Rs 4,000 per acre would be given out from April 20 as assistance for the cultivation of Kharif crops, and the second instalment of the same amount would be given out from November 18 for the Rabi crop. He said funds for the scheme would be earmarked in the Budget.

Mr Rao also said the subsidisation of rice-planting machines had been proposed as part of the activities to mechanise agriculture in the state.

On February 25, a regional conference will be held at the agricultural university in Hyderabad. Members of the coordination committees from Jangaon, Medak, Sangareddy, Mahbubnagar, Wanaparthy, Nagarkurnool, Gadwal, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Yadadri, Vikarabad, Medchal, and Rangareddy districts will be invited to participate in it.

On February 26, the conference will be held in Karimnagar. Members of the committees from Adilabad, Mancherial, Nirmal, Asifabad, Karimnagar, Jagtial, Pedapalli, Warangal (Urban), Warangal (Rural), Bhoopalpally, Mahabubabad, Khammam, Kothagudem, and Siddipet districts will be invited to participate in it.

The conferences will be held from 10.30 am to 5 pm. The Chief Minister and the agriculture minister will address the participants, and it will be possible for participants to directly interact with the CM.