Telangana’s Rythu Vedikas truly empowering farmers : Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

 Telangana’s Rythu Vedikas truly empowering farmers

Vanam Jwala Narasimha Rao

The Pioneer (13-07-2022)

(Telangana’s Rythu Vedikas are helping the collective might of farmers; delivery of support is streamlined with better outcomes-Editor The Pioneer)

Telangana Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had conceived and inaugurated the first of the 2,601 Rythu Vedikas (Farmers’ Platforms) in the state two years ago in 2020. They are now yielding desired results. The initiative is proving to be a path-breaking role model in the areas of agriculture, while being hailed by many for being a revolutionary step that would change the contours of the farming sector.

Agriculture is a way of life and tradition that has shaped the culture and economic life of people of Telangana and continues to be the focal point, to all the strategies for planned socio-economic development of the Telangana state. Agriculture plays an important role in economy of Telangana and the better performance of this sector is vital for inclusive growth. For boosting agriculture production Telangana Government deployed one Agriculture Extension Officer (AEO) for every 5000 acres (Cluster) and then felt the need to create a platform for the farmers to assemble, share their ideas and experiences, and assimilate knowledge on latest technologies.

Accordingly, the Government of Telangana decided to construct 2601 Rythu Vedikas-2462 Rural and 139 Urban-in all the Agriculture Extension Officer’s clusters. Government earmarked an amount of Rs. 22 Lakhs for each Rythu Vedika towards the construction cost. Rythu Vedikas are the first of its kind in India where a platform is 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. As on date construction of all the Rythu Vedikas are completed.

The Rythu Vedikas are provided with tap water connections, Electricity service connections, Furniture, and maintenance costs. The Government of Telangana proposes to connect all Rythu Vedikas across the state through optical fiber network of T-Fiber by ITE&C department. The AEOs are working from the Rythu Vedikas and are utilizing the Rythu Vedikas as AEOs office. Rythu Bandhu Samithi members are also working from Rythu Vedikas. Rythu Vedikas function through 3 verticals manned by qualified staff. They are Delivery of Services, Capacity Building and Knowledge Dissemination; Farmer Advisories; and Service Center for all Government schemes.

Delivery of services include: Crop Booking, Enrolment of farmers under Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bhima, PM Kisan etc. and Implementation of various state and centre sponsored schemes by selection of farmers. Capacity building includes Region specific and crop specific Training programs to create awareness to the farmers; Trainings of the farmers on identification, advantages of natural enemies and timely application of inputs to harness the higher yields; Emphasis to empower the farmers by adopting good agricultural practices duly emphasizing the critical stages of a crop and decision making in his own field; and to confine the Pesticide and insecticide usage duly protecting the natural enemies. As part of knowledge dissemination, trainings and field diagnostic visits and demonstrations will take place.

Apart from this timely Farm advisories to farmers on pests and disease outbreak, Weather updates, Market Prices, Availability of Seeds, Fertilizers etc., at Rythu Vedikas in Coordination with Agriculture University, IMD, TSDPS etc. to reduce the losses will be done. Rythu Vedikas are serving as service center for all Government schemes at cluster level by disseminating the latest guidelines, feedback of farmers and for making the schemes more reachable to the farmers there by achieving the ultimate objective of making Rythe Raju (Farmer the King).

            Agriculture and Horticulture Universities, National level institutes like WALAMTARI, DRR, DOR as well as State and National Institutes on Agriculture and allied departments are utilizing the Rythu Vedikas for their programs benefiting the farmer.

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 were brought in forcibly and later withdrawn by the union government.

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.

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 since the farmers by and large in our country and worldwide were left to themselves.

CM compared the situation of agriculture before and after formation of the state. Apart from increase in extent of cultivation leaps and bounds, the output had also reached the dizzy heights. 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. In fact, the pro-farmer and pro-agriculture schemes like Rythu Bandhu, Rythu Bhima, Rythu Vedikas, and 24-hour free power supply and host of other schemes were initiated by KCR government without any one asking for it or made a demand for them.

CM vision and dream was to see that one day the Rythu Vedikas should become catalysts for a better change. 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.

No doubt, the Rythu Vedikas in the days to come will become a hub for all the farmer related activities, Agriculture Knowledge Sharing and Dissemination Centers at cluster level duly serving the objective of the Government to provide services at doorsteps of the farmers to make farming sustainable and profitable. Why not these are replicated all over the country to benefit farmers?