Sitharaman says Rayalaseema farmers merit stronger government support
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said farmers in Rayalaseema deserve sustained support as they work through poor rainfall and other difficulties. She made the remarks during the launch of a proposed ₹1 lakh crore horticulture plan and the foundation-laying for an agriculture school in Andhra Pradesh’s Annamayya district.
Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has said farmers in Rayalaseema deserve every support from the Central and Andhra Pradesh governments as they continue cultivating land despite inadequate rainfall and difficult conditions. She spoke on Friday at Madanapalle in Annamayya district during the launch of the ₹1 lakh crore Global Horticulture Hub—Rayalaseema Rising plan. Sitharaman also laid the foundation stone for the Indian School of Agriculture, alongside Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N.
Chandrababu Naidu, Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan and Reliance Industries Executive Director Anant Ambani. Sitharaman described the event as significant for the region and linked the initiatives to the birth anniversaries of Mahatma Gandhi and former Prime Minister Lal Bahadur Shastri. She said their messages of “Swadeshi-Swarajya” and “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisan” placed farmers at the centre of nation-building.
The minister cited PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, subsidised fertilisers, crop insurance and climate-resilient crop varieties as examples of Central support. She said a urea bag costing about ₹3,000 internationally was supplied to Indian farmers for around ₹300, with the Centre bearing nearly ₹2,700 in subsidy per bag. She also referred to the Gobardhan scheme for biogas, PM-KUSUM solar-powered pumps and support for aquaculture and livestock farmers.
According to Sitharaman, the horticulture hub would seek to turn 10 Andhra Pradesh districts into a global horticulture centre through improved water management, technology and crop varieties. The Indian School of Agriculture is being established by Reliance. Sitharaman said it could provide specialised support to farmers in a role comparable to the Indian School of Business in management education, and expressed hope that it would become a world-class institution.
The source material does not provide a timeline, financing breakdown or implementation schedule for the horticulture plan.
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