Hyderabad, October 23: The Chief Minister, Mr K Rosaiah on Saturday directed the District Collectors to take up prior steps to avoid shortage of seeds and Fertilizers during the coming Rabi season and see the farmers got the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for the Khariff crop arriving in the market.
He instructed the Collectors to take necessary measures for strict implementation of Andhra Pradesh Microfinance Institutions (regulation of money lending) ordinance at field level and act tough against erring MFIs.
Interacting with the District Collectors through Video Conference from the Secretariat here, the Chief Minister pointed out that the Kharif crop would arrive in the market in a few days.
Due to good rainfall and favorable weather, it was expected that 220 lakh metric tones of food grains production would be recorded in the Khariff season, he added. Claiming that bumber crop production would come in this season, he said that the farmers were under an apprehension that the price of the crop may come down in the market at the time of arrival of the crop.
The District Collectors should take special care to ensure that the farmers did not get price lower than the Minimum Support Price (MSP). The District Authorities should function very actively in the matter. The crop should be purchased from the farmers through IKPS, he added.
Stating that the bumper crop of Khariff season would require more godown space in the State, he reminded that the stocks of 34 lakh tones food grains in the FCI godowns should be moved out in this situation. The Food grain stocks should be supplied to the people through PDS and shift to other States.
“I personally talked to the Union Minister for Agriculture, Mr Sharath Pawar on the matter”, he added. He instructed the District Collectors to collect the information on the private godowns available in their districts. The Officials should take care that the feeling should not arise in the farmers that injustice was done to them on price to their produce.
The District Collectors should take responsibility in the matter, he added. Stringent action should be taken against the guilty, if the price of the crop was less than MSP in the market in any area, he warned. Stating that the Millers have come up with a new argument, Mr Rosaiah made it clear that there was no question of accepting the demands of the Millers.
The Millers requested the Government to permit them to sell 25 percent of the Levy stock outside the State. Based on the eligibility, the Government has fixed limitations to the millers to sell it. He clarified that permission would not be given for export of fine rice. Stringent action would be taken against the persons who violates the rules in the matter, he cautioned.
On Micro Finance Institutions issue, the Chief Minister reminded that the illegal activities of MFIs were clearly appearing in the State. The borrowers were committing suicides unable to bear the harassment of MFI Agents for recovery of loans.
Reminding that the state Government has promulgated an Ordinance to check the illegal practices of MFIs, he pointed out that the MFIs were mandated to register at the DRDA Project Director in the districts. The District Collectors should take steps as per the direction of the High Court in the case, he added.
AROGYA RAKSHA SCHEME
Pointing out that Jawahar Baba Arogya Raksha Scheme would be launched on November 14 in the State, Mr Rosaiah informed that the Doctors would visit the Government schools and screen the students. The aim of the scheme was to ensure healthy life to the students. The Social Welfare Department, the Tribal Welfare Department, the BC Welfare Department, the Minority Welfare Department, the Education Department and Health Department should work in oordination and make the scheme a success, he added.
The Chief Minister instructed that the District Authorities should take special care for implementation of Rajiv Aavas Yojana and JNNURM schemes. The housing programs should not be lopsided in the districts, he felt.
Reminding that the Collectors and officials were appointed as Special Officers of Urban Local Bodies, he said that they should also focus on the duties and responsibilities of the post.
Mr Rosaiah instructed the Collectors not to give any scope for irregularities in the implementation of Tuition Fee Reimbursement and Scholarship Schemes. The District Collectors should take responsibility for effective implementation of the welfare schemes in the larger interests of the students, he stated.
The Minister for Minister for Revenue, Mr Darmana Prasad Rao, the Minister for Endowments, Mr Gade Venkat Reddy, the Minister for Civil Supplies, Mr Jupalli Krishna Rao, the Minister for Agriculture, Mr N Raghuveera Reddy, the Minister for Panchyat Raj, Mr Bosta Satyanarayana, the Minister for Rural development, Mr Vatti Vasanth Kumar, the Minister for Minority Welfare, Mr Ahamadulla, the Minister for Tribal Welfare, Mr P Balaraju, the Minister for Health, Mr Danam Nagender, the Minister for BC Welfare, Mr Mukesh Goud and officials also attended the video conference. (NSS)