Sitharaman, Naidu, Pawan Kalyan to launch Rs 1 lakh cr horticulture project tomorrow
Amaravati, Oct 1 (TNT): Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu and Deputy Chief Minister Pawan Kalyan will launch the Global Horticulture Hub at Madanapalle ( Annamayya district ) on Friday, with an estimated investment of Rs 1 lakh crore to transform Rayalaseema into a major fruit production hub.
The project will be implemented in three phases, with the government contributing Rs 40,352 crore and efforts being made to mobilise around Rs 60,000 crore in private investment.
The initiative will cover 10 districts — Anantapur, Annamayya, Chittoor, Kurnool, Nandyal, Sri Sathya Sai, Tirupati, Kadapa, Prakasam and Markapuram.
Development activities will be taken up through 201 clusters across 303 mandals and 5,869 villages, according to the project details.
The government plans to expand the existing horticulture cultivation area of 8.41 lakh hectares by another six lakh hectares, taking the total to 14.41 lakh hectares.
Horticultural production is targeted to increase from 222 lakh metric tonnes to 435 lakh metric tonnes, benefiting around 9.6 lakh farmers.
The project envisages creating an additional ayacut of nine lakh acres and stabilising irrigation facilities across 4.3 lakh acres.
Of the government’s proposed allocation, Rs 20,884 crore will be earmarked for irrigation, Rs 15,000 crore for horticulture development and Rs 4,562 crore for roads.
Major irrigation projects, drip irrigation systems, road infrastructure and logistics facilities will be developed as part of the initiative.
The project aims to establish Rayalaseema as the country’s fruit bowl, with a focus on crops such as mango, banana, tomato, pomegranate, dragon fruit, avocado and berries.
The government also plans to attract private investment in food processing units and export infrastructure to promote value addition and improve farmers’ incomes.
Naidu has been monitoring the project for nearly six months, holding review meetings with the Agriculture, Horticulture, Finance and Irrigation departments and consulting the Central government to advance the initiative.
The Global Horticulture Hub is part of the state’s Rayalaseema Rising initiative, which seeks to promote horticultural development, strengthen rural infrastructure and create economic opportunities across the region.
Meanwhile, Sitharaman, Naidu and Pawan Kalyan will also lay the foundation stone for the proposed Indian School of Agriculture at Madanapalle.
Modelled on the Indian School of Business, the proposed institution will focus on agricultural development through technology, research and innovation.
Reliance has come forward to collaborate with the state government in establishing and managing the institution.
The institution is expected to provide technology-driven guidance to farmers and develop solutions to challenges in agriculture, with a focus on digital agriculture, precision farming, crop monitoring, smart irrigation and market intelligence.
It is envisaged as a centre for agricultural innovation to equip farmers with advanced knowledge and market-oriented practices to improve productivity, sustainability and profitability in agriculture and allied sectors.
TNT TS
