26/07/2011 (Deccan Chronicle) - A new State Agriculture Commission to advise government on farmers’ problems and other agriculture related issues, including remunerative prices and marketing, is being set up soon.

To ensure supply of vegetables at an affordable price in the city, the government has also chalked out an action plan to increase production in neighbouring Ranga Reddy, Medak and Mahbubnagar districts on 1,500 hectares with an outlay of Rs 17 crore.

The Chief Minister, Mr N. Kiran Kumar Reddy, reviewed agriculture operations with the Deputy Chief Minister, Mr Damodar Raja Narasimha, who is also in charge of agriculture, and other officials at the Secretariat.

He suggested setting up of a State Agriculture Commission or Board which will work as an advisory commission.

Due to deficit rainfall, the total area currently sown in the State is 32.51 lakh ha; it was 36.53 lakh ha on the same date last year.

The Chief Minister asked officials to keep track of the monsoon and take contingency steps if there is continued dry spell in some areas.

Meanwhile, the government released Rs 1,648.02 crore (Rs 1,471.16 crore to small farmers/marginal farmers (SF/MF) and Rs 176.86 crore to other farmers (OF) towards input subsidy to the affected farmers due to various natural calamities that occurred from kharif 2009 till heavy rains in December 2010 covering a total of 75,72,938 farmers.

The government also released Rs 618.47 crore (`546.81 crore to SF/MF and Rs 72.36 crore to OF) towards input subsidy to the affected farmers due to heavy rains that fell in December 2010.

Officials said that as far as horticulture was concerned, the Oil Palm Area Expansion Programme of 40,000 ha will be taken up with an outlay of `192 crore and components such as plant material, drip irrigation, electric pump-sets, bore wells, vermi-compost, harvesting tools etc will be provided.