Jagan seeks Centre's nod for Polavaram's revised estimates

VIJAYAWADA: Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy has sought quick approval of revised cost estimates of Polavaram national project, and facilitating power utilities to swap high-cost debt with low-cost long term debt and to provide access to low-cost finance to the state government for developing social infrastructure.

The Chief Minister, interacting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi during the Niti Ayog's Governing Council meeting, which was held virtually on Saturday, sought Centre’s cooperation.

He said that the aim of policy formulation with respect to agriculture and allied sectors should be to reduce risks and difficulties faced by farmers. He drew attention to five key policy interventions to provide immense support to agriculture and allied sectors.

He said, “Minimize costs associated with crop production, ensure availability of quality certified seeds, quality certified fertilisers and quality certified pesticides, ensure availability of post-harvest technologies and facilities such as storage, grading, processing etc. thereby enhancing quality and marketability of agricultural produce and given the vulnerability of the sector to vagaries of nature, ensure that the farmer is provided timely compensation for the loss suffered by him.”

He added, “We have established 10,731 Rythu Bharosa Kendralu, one at every village, to provide a comprehensive solution to all agricultural needs that range from providing quality certified key farm inputs to enabling the sale of produce.”

He said multipurpose facility centres are being created in coterminous with RBKs to provide facilities like dry storage and drying platforms, godowns, collection centres, cold rooms, primary processing and assaying equipment, bulk milk cooling units, automatic milk collection units and food processing units, which the farming community needs to enhance income not only from agriculture but also from allied activities as well.

“Specific to my state, to provide sustainable irrigation, I seek your support for quick approval of revised cost estimates and the timely completion of Polavaram irrigation project declared as a national project. The project is regarded as my state’s lifeline and the completion of the same would contribute significantly to an increase in irrigated area.”

Jagan Mohan Reddy urged the Centre to facilitate power utilities to swap high-cost debt with low-cost long term debt as this was the need of the hour for the sector’s sustainability and survival. He stated that for tertiary care, they were setting up 16 new medical colleges in different parts of the state and five multi-specialty hospitals in scheduled tribal areas under which three colleges have already been accorded sanction by GOI for part-funding. He requested funding for the remaining 13 medical colleges.

The Chief Minister said, “I believe that the services will be further improved with access to internet at the village level. In line with the vision of Bharat Net project, we seek to provide internet to every citizen and the public institution at the village level. We are also establishing digital public libraries in the villages, bringing the concept of ‘work from home’ closer to the people by providing them uninterrupted access to quality internet in these libraries at every village.”