Water release schedule for all major reservoirs in Andhra Pradesh has been advanced due to bountiful storage, Minister for Irrigation Ambati Rambabu has said, adding that water was released from the Nagarjunasagar dam into the NSP Right Canal on Wednesday.
Water was released to the Godavari delta on June 1, while the Krishna water was released from the Prakasam Barrage on June 10 to the western delta, the Minister said while participating in the ‘Eruvaka’ festival at Chagantivaripalem in Muppala mandal in Sattenapalli constituency on Wednesday.
“Eruvaka, the traditional practice of ploughing the field marking the beginning of a new cropping season, is still in vogue in many villages of the State,” said the Minister after ploughing a filed, along with Palnadu Collector Siva Sankar Lotheti, as part of the festival.
“A plenty of water is available at the Srisailam and Pulichintala. I urge the farmers to begin agricultural operations right away,” said the Minister.
Mr. Rambabu said that the Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBKs) were set up across the State to help out the farmers from the sowing stage and marketing of their produce. “The RBK staff assist the farmers in determining the quality of seed and other crop inputs. The State government is investing a lot of money in agriculture,” he said.
Crop cultivation cards
Mr. Siva Sankar Lotheti said that the auspicious period during ‘Eruvaka’ is considered to be the right time to start tilling the land. “Palnadu district has been allotted ₹49 crore under the YSR Crop Insurance Scheme Scheme. Around 30,000 crop cultivation cards have been given to farmers so far. In future, 1.60 lakh farmers will be given the cards,” he said.
Later, the Minister and the officials took part in a Kolatam programe. MLC Dokka Manikya Vara Prasad was present on the occasion.
