Rs 3,125 cr released to farmers under Annadata Sukhibhava scheme

Vijayawada: Chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu released Rs 3,125 crore into the accounts of farmers across the state under the PM Kisan–Annadata Sukhibhava scheme, at Linganguntla in Palnadu district on Saturday.

An amount of Rs 7,000 has been deposited into the account of each farmer, which include Rs 5,000 from the state and Rs 2,000 from the Union govt as the first instalment.Addressing a gathering at Linganguntla, Naidu said the govt is supporting farmers from seed supply to marketing, and payments for procured produce were being made within 48 hours. He said farmers are receiving advisories through SMS and support through the e-crop system.

Stating that the state is promoting natural farming to reduce the use of chemical fertilizers and pesticides and to improve soil health, he expressed concerns over the rejection of export consignments due to chemical residues and stressed the need to maintain quality standards.

He appealed to farmers to switch to natural farming, adding that the govt is ready to encourage the same beyond 20 lakh acres.“The govt has been promoting horticulture, aquaculture and oil palm cultivation, and has reduced feed cost for aquaculture farmers.

Procurement support has been extended to crops, including Totapuri mango and Burley tobacco, and minimum purchase price directions have been issued,” the CM said, adding that improved water availability would support agriculture in regions, including Palnadu, and help strengthen the rural economy.

He also vowed to complete 36 irrigation projects, including Polavaram, by the end of 2027.Referring to environmental measures, he said the state aims to increase green cover from 31% to 50% and is establishing waste-to-energy plants, with eight such facilities planned.

Naidu also referred to steps taken to promote cleanliness, repair roads, and deliver services through digital platforms, including WhatsApp governance.Earlier, Naidu visited an Anganwadi centre being run under ‘net zero’ method. He interacted with the children and served and tasted Ragi malt with them. He also visited the natural farming field of one Gudipalli Nagabhushanam and purchased groundnut oil extracted through conventional methods.