Amaravati, Feb 20 (IANS) Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu on Thursday assured chilli farmers of necessary assistance and urged them not to panic with the drop in prices.
The Chief Minister said he talked to the Centre about the record fall in the prices of chillies. “As the prices at the global market earlier were high the farmers could receive reasonable prices and now the rates have fallen due to low global demand,” Chandrababu Naidu told media persons in New Delhi.
The Telugu Desam Party (TDP) national president said that he has taken the matter to the notice of the Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan through video conference as he was on a tour.
He revealed that the Union Minister will review the matter with the officials on Friday.
The Chief Minister said that this year 12 lakh metric tonnes of chilli is to be procured and till now four lakh metric tonnes have been procured. He said that all the prevailing issues have been taken to the notice of the Centre and the Union Minister said that he will give clarity after holding a meeting with the officials on Friday.
Chandrababu Naidu attended the swearing-in ceremony of the Delhi Chief Minister. He later called on Minister for Water Resources C.R. Patil.
The Chief Minister said that he had discussed the Jal Jeevan Mission and the Polavaram issues with Patil and informed him that the State Government has set a target of completing the Polavaram works by 2027. “We also sought the Centre’s cooperation to shift the water from Polavaram to Banakacherla and the Central representatives will visit the State to study the matter,” he added.
He stated that the state government is now planning to utilise the water that is flowing into the sea. He claimed that the TDP-led NDA government is working with commitment.
–IANS
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