Andhra Pradesh

Call for second green revolution

Kakinada: Union Minister of State for Defence M.M Pallam Raju said there was need for a second green revolution to meet the growing demand for food grains and suggested to the farmers to use latest farming techniques to improve their yields, which is crucial to achieve food security.

He observed that the first green revolution had brought about a quantum jump in the output of food grains but said that efforts have to be made to maximize the agricultural production in the present situation to avoid excess dependence on imports, he said in a ‘Rythu sadassu’ at Jaggampeta in the district on Saturday.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr. Pallam Raju said a proposal to implement the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme in between agricultural seasons was being examined by the government to ensure that farmers do not face scarcity of workers required for harvesting and other operations in the fields. It would be beneficial to both as the period of joblessness would last only for a few days in the year. An official announcement in this regard is likely to be made soon, he said.

Mr. Pallam Raju said the government had no alternative except to increase the prices of petrol, diesel and LPG to compensate the loss being incurred on account of the unprecedented hike in global crude prices. But, the Government was taking all steps to prevent the situation from deteriorating further. Social Welfare Minister P Subhas Chandra Bose said the State government made huge allocations for the irrigation projects to support the agriculture sector.

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