Farmers’ welfare govt’s priority: Collector

East Godavari district Collector P. Prashanthi reaffirmed the administration’s commitment to supporting farmers, promoting natural farming, and prioritising the welfare of the people.
The Collector hoisted the national flag during the 76th Republic Day celebrations held at the Government Arts College campus on Sunday. Addressing the gathering, she highlighted the district’s developmental initiatives and welfare schemes to benefit the underprivileged.
She elaborated on the Vision 2047 framework, which includes plans to achieve Swarnandhra 2029. A comprehensive strategy is being formulated to achieve a 15% growth rate in agriculture and allied sectors by 2029.
Under the PM Kisan Yojana (PMKY), Rs 20.14 crore has been credited into the accounts of 1.7 lakh farmers, and cultivation rights documents have been issued to 1,09,630 tenant farmers. Of the 1.10 lakh metric tonnes of fertiliser allocated, 71,500 metric tonnes have already been distributed.
Collector Prashanthi noted that natural farming is being practised over 40,000 acres in the district, and Rs 574 crore was disbursed to 29,500 farmers through 107 agricultural cooperative societies during the last Kharif season. Plans for the 2027 Godavari Pushkaralu are also being implemented.
In the agriculture-allied sectors, a plan aims to increase the GVA growth rate of horticultural crops from 16% to 25% by 2047. The micro-irrigation scheme, with a subsidy of Rs 27 crore, has so far covered 6,400 hectares.
Under the SC component, Rs 3.6 crore has been provided to 102 beneficiaries through the Unnati scheme, and Rs 23.90 crore to 609 beneficiaries through bank linkages. Similarly, under the BC component, Rs 747.24 crore has been extended to 40,836 beneficiaries for self-employment programmes, while Rs 30.63 crore was disbursed to 1,456 BC and EBC beneficiaries through the BC Corporation and Rs 27.15 crore to 750 people through the Kapu Corporation.
Regarding housing schemes, the Collector announced that 65,750 houses under the PMAY and NTR Nagar schemes, constructed at Rs 1,171 crore, and 6,349 houses in rural areas, built at Rs 114 crore, would soon be handed over to beneficiaries.
SP D. Narasimha Kishore, JC S. Chinna Ramaudu, MLA Gorantla Butchiah Chowdary, and RUDA chairman Boddu Venkataramana Chowdary were among those present at the event.