Amaravati, July 22 (PTI) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu on Tuesday directed officials to conduct satellite surveys for accurate crop details and update agricultural records after land resurvey.
The CM reviewed agriculture and allied sectors, stressing farmer welfare, water management and clear guidance through Rythu Seva Kendras.
“Officials should conduct a satellite survey to collect crop-wise details of each survey number across the state, and the information collected at the field level should be cross-verified with satellite data,” said Naidu in an official press release.
The Chief Minister said that farmers should receive the necessary information with the help of Artificial Intelligence.
Meanwhile, officials informed the CM that eKYC has been completed for nearly 47 lakh farmers under the Annadata Sukhibhava scheme, which offers Rs 20,000 financial aid to farmers.
The CM instructed officials to identify eligible beneficiaries via the e-Crop platform and ensure financial assistance reaches every farmer in the state.
The CM said that the NDA coalition government prioritises agriculture and announced that the regime will soon hold virtual meetings with water users’ associations.
Officials informed the CM that except for a few districts in south coastal Andhra, the rest of the state has recorded normal rainfall during the Kharif season.
They said that the major irrigation projects in Krishna, Godavari and Vamsadhara basins are full and that due to abundant rains cultivation area in the state has expanded.
The officials reported that in this Kharif season, crops are being cultivated in nearly 10 lakh hectares; however, the CM suggested advancing the crop calendar to rely on rainfall and avoid losses from cyclones and heavy rains while allowing a second crop.
He emphasised reducing chemical fertilisers and pesticide usage while increasing organic farming and monitoring seed sales and raising awareness on rising cancer cases due to hazardous weedicide use.
The CM instructed 42-parameter crop health monitoring, desilting canals, maximising groundwater storage, extensive drone usage and effective coordination between agriculture and water resources departments.
He directed district collectors to prioritise farmer payments for tobacco, mango and enforce purchase responsibilities, promote micro-irrigation, expand mobile Rythu bazaars while ensuring quality compliance in aquaculture. PTI MS STH ADB
This report is auto-generated from PTI news service. ThePrint holds no responsibility for its content.