Participating in a cooperative function on Monday in Hyderabad, Telangana Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao said that cooperative institutions are the backbone of rural development in an agriculture-driven country like India.
He stated that Telangana has emerged as a national model in strengthening the cooperative system and driving transformative change in agriculture and rural livelihoods.
Highlighting key achievements, the Minister said 25.35 lakh farmer families have been supported through investment assistance, income support and crop insurance schemes. Telangana ranks second in the country in paddy production with 18.9 million tonnes, while also making a strong mark in the production of pulses, groundnut, chilli, turmeric and oil palm.
He added that the Fine Rice Scheme has ensured dignified food security for the people, and horticulture production in the State has reached 42 million tonnes.
Outlining future initiatives, the Minister said Telangana aims to expand natural farming to 4,000 villages by 2047, extend IoT-based micro-irrigation to 3.95 million acres, and develop mega clusters for oil palm, pulses and horticulture, along with seed hubs, processing units and cold storage facilities.
Emphasising the cooperative spirit of “One for all, all for one”, he said Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS) are playing a key role in strengthening the rural economy. Major reforms include the recognition of 197 new Multipurpose Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies (MPACS), computerisation of PACS, and the rollout of digital banking and Aadhaar-based payment systems.
He appreciated NABARD’s role in transforming cooperatives into multi-service centres and concluded that cooperation is the key to rural prosperity, with Telangana setting a strong example.
