The Hindu : Andhra Pradesh News : Officials told to be with ryots

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Saturday, Aug 14, 2004

Andhra Pradesh

Andhra Pradesh

Officials told to be with ryots

By Our Special Correspondent

ONGOLE, AUG. 13. The Agriculture Minister, N. Raghuveera Reddy, has said that services of agricultural officials working at mandal and district levels will be placed under the control of mandal and zilla parishads for effective monitoring, accountability and to improve interaction with farmers.

Speaking to newspersons here today, the Minister asked agricultural officials at all levels - from Mandal Agricultural Officer to Principal Secretary (Agriculture) - to spend at least one day a week in a village. They should interact with farmers, sort out their problems relating to inputs like seed, fertilisers, pesticides, credit, etc., and render advice on selection and raising of different crops.

Seed villages soon

Mr. Reddy said that one seed village would be developed in each mandal to produce quality seed at reasonable price to meet the requirements. He expressed concern that private companies were looting farmers by charging exorbitantly or by supplying spurious seed. He said the Government was determined to eradicate spurious seed from the State.

In all 33,000 quintals of spurious seed was seized and a seed manufacturer was arrested under the Preventive Detention Act for supplying spurious seed. He warned seed manufacturers to stick to norms or face stern action. He felt the need to amend the Seeds Act saying it was toothless, and more favourable to seed companies.

Filling of posts

To a question, he said that 153 posts of Agricultural Officers and 491 Agricultural Extension Officers would be filled on a permanent basis in coming month. These zonal posts would be filled by a committee headed by senior Collector.

About the prospects of releasing Nagarjunasagar water to four lakh acres in Prakasam district this year after a gap of two years, he said an all-party committee would meet in next five days to review the availability of water in the Krishna.

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