Rythu Vedika, unprecedented initiative in Telangana
Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao
In what construed to be a land mark and
unprecedented initiative in the annals of agriculture history in the
independent India and a revolutionary step that will change the entire contours
of farming sector at one go, Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar has formally inaugurated
the first Rythu Vedika in the State at Kodakandla Mandal headquarters in
Jangaon district on Saturday the 31st October 2020.
The Government of Telangana has decided
to construct 2601 Rythu Vedikas-2462 Rural and 139 Urban-in all the Agriculture
Extension Officer’s clusters. Accordingly, Government earmarked an amount of
Rs.573 crores towards the total construction cost. Rythu Vedikas are the first
of its kind in India where a platform is being created for the farmers to
organize themselves in to groups for attaining their ultimate objective of
getting the remunerative prices, better marketing facilities, higher
productivity and ultimately making the Agriculture profitable. They will also Help
the farmers to organize themselves into a formidable group to protect their
rights.
What followed the formal inauguration
was the passion, courage, vision, determination and devotion of CM KCR to usher
in a qualitative, quantitative and expressive farm policy that would eradicate
all problems, adversaries and ill effects of farm sector and make it a profitable
sector forever. More than the stated aims and objectives, the Rythu Vedikas
ably supported by the government policies would become synergy to bring in a
transparent, people-friendly and progressive change in the governments to come.
Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao
has unveiled his vision for the Rythu Vedikas’ role in the Telangana state by
asserting that they should become a formidable force not only to change the farm
sector for good but also should become focal centers to determine the change of
governance. He also wanted farmers to utilize the Rythu Vedikas to stall
attempts by the Centre to thrust upon the anti-farmer and pro-corporate Farm
Acts that are brought in forcibly in the recent past and face the challenges.
Inaugurating Rythu Vedika, the Chief
Minister made a passionate plea to farmers to utilize the Rythu Vedika and the
opportunity provided by the government to become a united force and charter the
course of their profession in the way it is profitable and comfortable. He
envisaged that through Rythu Vedikas, farmers at a later stage would be able to
determine which crops they should cultivate, what price they should fix for
their produce and how to market them for greater profitability.
In his hour-long address, the CM not
only dwelled at length on the purpose, aims and objectives of Rythu Vedikas but
also took the opportunity to expose the hollowness of opposition parties like
the Congress and the BJP armed with facts, figures and data.
Referring to the very concept of Rythu
Vedika, CM KCR said that nowhere in the world or in the country, farmers were organized
and this Telangana Model is the first of its kind step to make farmers united
and a formidable force. The farmers by and large in our country and worldwide
were left to themselves. Adding to this, there is a peculiar situation in the
country where even if the state government wants to give some subsidies or
offer MSP, the Centre would stall such attempts by arm-twisting methods.
A directive given by the Food Corporation
of India to all the state government not to buy Paddy fine or coarse variety at
Rs 1888 per quintal was quoted by CM. Even a rupee paid more than the price;
the FCI will not procure the Paddy. He said the Farm Acts that were enacted in
the Rajya Sabha in an undemocratic method were aimed at helping the large
corporate entities but were in reality against the interests of the farmers.
The CM said that, the time has come for the Rythu Bandhu Samithis in the State
to show their anger against the anti-farmer Acts of the Centre and they should
also demonstrate the combined force of the farming community.
The CM said no one could distract him
from making agriculture and farmers profitable. He compared the situation of
agriculture before formation of the state under the united AP rule and during
the past six and half years. Apart from increase in extent of cultivation leaps
and bounds, the output had also reached the dizzy heights. The FCI itself went
on record to say that Telangana state had accounted for 65 per cent of its
total Paddy procurement in the country. He also reminded that no other state in
country is procuring Paddy as it was done in the State. He also said that no
other state in the country not even the Centre is implementing a slew of
programs, projects, policies and schemes for the agriculture sector and farmers
as was done in the State.
Despite the state incurring a loss of
Rs 50,000 crore due to corona pandemic, the state has purchased the produce in
the village itself. The state purchased Maize at MSP knowing fully well that it
would incur losses due to Centre’s policy of reducing the import duty on Corn.
He said pro-farmer and pro-agriculture schemes like Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bhima,
Rythu Vedikas, and 24-hour free power supply to farm sector and host of other
schemes were initiated by his government without any one asking for it or made
a demand for them.
Urging the farmers not to waste the
opportunity given to them through Rythu Vedikas, the CM said his dream was to
see that one day the Rythu Vedikas should become catalysts for a better change
and the Rythu Bandhu Committee should take the responsibility to organize,
coordinate, unite and motivate the farmers.
Reiterating that the welfare of the
country is the welfare of farmers, the CM recalled his conversation with PM
Modi on the need to stand by farmers and agriculture in the testing times of corona
epidemic come what may. CM said that he told the PM that if our country suffers
food shortage no country in the world is capable of feeling 135 Crore people in
the country.
The CM exposed the cheap tricks and baseless
allegations made by the Congress leaders. He also ridiculed the BJP leaders for
spreading falsehoods about the Centre’s contribution to the pensions in the
State. CM made a mention about farmers across the country protesting against
the anti-farmer policies of the Centre with specific reference to Ramlila
celebrations where people have even burnt PM Modi effigy.
The CM also spoke about the initiatives
launched to strengthen the rural economy by supporting those sections of people
who are dependent on agriculture, the hereditary professions and said he would
soon launch a Dalit Chaitanya Jyothi program.
The Chief Minister made it abundantly
clear that he wanted every farmer in the state with the extraordinary support provided
by the government, should rise to the occasion, and should reach a stage where
he should be able to clear all his dues and have about Rs 2 to 3 Lakh of funds
with him as savings to invest into his cultivation on his own without taking
any external financial support. ‘It is then that the real Bangaru Telangana is achieved’
the CM remarked. (With
VJM Divakar)