Andhra Pradesh Agriculture Minister Kanna Lakshiminarayana today said that the state government provided crop and other loans to 1.2 crore farmers in the current financial year compared to 50 lakh persons in Telugu Desam Party rule before 2004. Addressing Rayalaseema regional conference of agriculture officials here, the minister directed the officials to prepare comprehensive plans for distributing seeds and fertilizer to farmers in ensuing Kharif season. Lakshiminarayana also asked the concerned officials to coordinate the staff and Adarsha Rytus, who were selected and trained to guide the farmers in villages, and do soil testing to advise suitable crops to tillers. “Act as LIC agents in collecting crop insurance premium and in claiming crop insurance,” he told officials at the meeting. Speaking on the occasion, Minister for Medical and Health Dr D L Ravindra Reddy appealed to the government to link up employment guarantee program with agriculture for the benefit of farmers. “Subsidies should be given to farmers after harvesting as being done in other developed countries. The same policy could be implemented in our country as well,” he added. Reddy also expressed the need to supply seeds and fertilizers to the ryots as per their requirement to prevent black marketing of seeds.
