TS: Govt to start 'Rythu Samagra Survey' from today

Commencing Saturday, the State government will conduct the Comprehensive Farmers Survey (Rythu Samagra Survey) to collect and consolidate complete data of about 54.6 lakh farmers in Telangana State. The survey aims at building a data bank on farmers which would serve as a ready-reckoner for all agriculture related issues and also promote crop colonies across the State.

About 3,200 officials of the State Agriculture Department will conduct the survey over the next one month. The final report will be submitted to Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao after May 20 for further action. The State government conducted similar survey in 2017 before the launch of the Chief Minister’s revolutionary Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bima schemes as well as plugging all loopholes in the system.

“Around 54.6 lakh farmers who have received new pattadar passbooks will participate in the survey. Fresh details of all farmers will be obtained for effective planning and implementation of crop colonies as well as other existing schemes,” officials of the Agriculture Department told Telangana Today.

As per the directions of the Chief Minister, the officials prepared a detailed format for the survey comprising about 44 columns collecting details of every farmer. At the field level, the Agriculture Extension Officers (AEOs) will conduct the survey to obtain details pertaining to the farmers including total extent of land, cultivable area, water source, crops under cultivation, agriculture mechanisation, fertilisers usage, crop yield, power supply connections, bank account details, market facilities and others.

Considering the high temperatures, the AEOs have been asked to conduct the survey during the morning and the evening hours and upload details onto the data bank during the afternoon.

The State government is expected to use the farmers data while framing government policies to benefit the farmers. “In the absence of appropriate statistical data, it was becoming difficult to take decisions. With data on the amount of rice produced, fruits produced, and domestic food needs of people, we will be able to encourage crop colonies and also promote food processing units,” the officials said.