Andhra Pradesh - Anantapur   

Cloud-seeding operations from July 15, says Minister

Staff Reporter

ANANTAPUR: The cloud-seeding operations will be launched in ten districts of the State from July 15, Minister for Agriculture and Rain-Shadow Areas Development N. Raghuveera Reddy stated here on Tuesday.

Tenders for the purpose would be finalised by the end of this month, he said.

Talking to newspersons here, he said the exercise of cloud seed ought to have been commenced by June 25 itself but the lowest bidder in the tenders called earlier had quoted Rs. 22 crore for conducting the cloud -seeding operations in ten districts.

The tender was finalised for Rs. 18.5 crore last year.

The State Government had cancelled the tenders due to bids being expensive and had invited short tenders again.

The fresh tenders would be finalised by the month-end and operations would be launched from July 15 after fixing an agency, he stated.

On the problems in supply of seed groundnut in the district, the Minister attributed it to the scarcity of seed in the State.

The seed supply agencies were sourcing the seed from Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu and Karnataka to overcome the shortage.

He assured the farmers that the supply would continue till July 15.

The Government was also pursuing the matter of extending crop loans at 3 per cent interest rate with the consent of the Centre, he stated.

On the settlement of crop insurance claims for the loss suffered in the 2006 kharif season the minister said the dispute over the extent of coverage last year was settled at 7.31 lakh hectares.

But, the insurance company was still arguing over the extent at 6.39 lakh hectares, in which the crop cutting experiments were conducted, overlooking that the crop was removed even before the assessment in about 92,000 hectares.

The banks had given crop loans for 8.21 lakh hectares, he stated.

If the claims were settle 100 per cent the farmers would get a benefit of Rs. 686 crore, the Minister stated.

Those who failed to get the insurance benefit would be given input subsidy, the Minister reiterated.

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