Telangana progressing fast with per capita income at Rs 3.56 lakh: Bhatti

Speaking at the launch of NABARD State Focus Paper here on Friday, Bhatti said that the development should not only be about statistics but how farmers, micro, small and medium scale industries and rural areas were being taken on a development path.

Acknowledging that the NABARD is a significant partner in this journey, Bhatti said that it should provide more encouragement to the above sectors in the coming days. He instructed that more loan assistance be extended to the farm sector besides strengthening farmers’ producers organisations and development of basic amenities in rural areas. The digital banking sector should be extended, he said.

With the help of NABARD, the ground water table increased in the State and farmers were able to raise many crops. The NABARD should identify water scarcity areas and extend its cooperation further, he said.

“There is a possibility to bring in revolutionary changes in the agriculture sector through water saving cultivation through drip and sprinklers,” he said. Despite severe heat conditions, impressive agricultural development was achieved in Israel, he pointed out. Bhatti further stated that to reduce dependability on import of edible oils, a target was set for palm oil cultivation in about one lakh acres in the country.

Malaysia leads the world in oil farm cultivation and he emphasised that oil palm cultivation should be strengthened in Telangana too. Telangana is famous for its mango, turmeric, chilli and millet crops. Thus NABARD should take up activities like encouraging setting up of cold storages, training farmers as per international standards.

Maharashtra is known for the Alphonso variety of mango cultivation and it emerged as a model in exports. As Telangana also has similar land and other resources, farmers must be encouraged to take up alphonso mango cultivation.

Bhatti noted that scientific form of cultivation was neglected in the State by those who ruled the State for 10 years and it was time that the Agriculture department and NABARD officials bestowed their attention on that.

Encouragement must be given to crop cultivation through greenhouse, poly house, drip, sprinklers, he said, adding that there is imminent need to extend digital banking, mobile credit systems in rural areas. He pointed out that Kenya brought far-reaching changes in the digital banking sector through M- pesa.

Bhatti said that by encouraging micro, small and medium enterprises, employment and livelihood opportunities could be generated in lakhs and it in turn would pave the way for economic development of the State.

Referring to the importance of green power generation, he called upon NABARD officials to come forward to extend cooperation for that sector for sustainable and stable development. At present 29 lakh agricultural pumpsets in the State were given free power supply and efforts were made to run them with solar power over a period of time.

It would not only be financially profitable but would also help in bringing down environmental pollution to a large extent. Germany is leading the world in green power generation and NABARD must help Telangana to grow as a leader in the sector in the country, he said.

Telangana government has announced a new Energy policy and Energy department entered into an MoU with Self Help Groups for generation of 1000 MW solar power. He asked NABARD to extend support to SHG women to emerge as entrepreneurs.

Bhatti said that through the Forest Rights Act , cultivable lands were handed over to farmers in tribal areas and cultivations like palm oil, Avocado, bamboo were encouraged in those lands. It will also help in protecting forest lands, he said.