Hyderabad: Agriculture, Marketing and Cooperation Minister Thummala Nageswara Rao directed officials to accelerate Agriculture market digitalisation and improve transparency in the Marketing Department through technology-driven reforms.
Reviewing the department’s performance, he assessed digitalisation, development works, cotton procurement preparedness, engineering projects, solar power installations and inspections by special teams. He also instructed officials to complete all development works within the prescribed timelines.
The Minister asked officials to automate all 206 Agricultural Market Committees. Planning and the tender process should conclude by the end of August. Thereafter, implementation should begin in September.
He directed officials to integrate CCTV cameras, electronic weighing scales and gate entry-exit systems on a single digital platform. Moreover, the IT wing should develop software for number plate scanning. The system will digitally record vehicle entry, exit, weighing and transactions. All future procurements must also follow a digital process.
The seven special inspection teams must submit their reports by Monday. Based on those findings, the Marketing Director and Agriculture Secretary should initiate immediate action. Weekly time-bound monitoring will also continue.
Officials must complete preparations for the upcoming cotton procurement season well in advance. A joint meeting with the Cotton Corporation of India, ginning mill owners and department officials will take place during the first or second week of August.
Agriculture market digitalisation to improve transparency
Meanwhile, Thummala instructed officials to eliminate irregularities identified during previous procurement seasons. He said the government would ensure that Minimum Support Price benefits reached only genuine farmers. Strict action would follow any violations.
Before purchasing paddy cleaners, dryers and lifters, officials must complete technical evaluations. In addition, they should procure equipment only where it is genuinely required. The Minister warned that unused machinery would invite action against responsible officials.
Engineering works across the department must finish during the current financial year. If required, delayed projects can be handed over to the Roads and Buildings or Panchayat Raj departments. Engineers who fail to report for duty will also face disciplinary action.
Further, officials must prepare a comprehensive report on pending bills and other market yard issues for submission to the Chief Minister. They should complete feasibility studies for solar power systems next month. Installation work must start in September and finish by November.
The Minister also instructed officials to finalise the design for the integrated fruit market at Koheda next week. Construction should begin after obtaining the Chief Minister’s approval. Besides this, the Marketing Department must identify staff shortages and seek approval for additional posts.
Later, leaders of the Oil Palm Farmers Association from several districts met Thummala at the Secretariat. They sought quality seedlings, affordable fertilisers through companies, solutions to electricity line issues, collection centres in every mandal, bank loans, subsidised machinery and custom hiring centres.
Responding to the delegation, Thummala said the government remained committed to resolving oil palm farmers’ issues. Finally, he described Telangana as one of the country’s best regions for oil palm cultivation. He said the crop offers high returns, stable marketing prospects and additional income through intercropping. He added that companies had already received directions to supply quality seedlings whenever farmers required them.