Software for e-connectivity of agri markets soon: Minister

Union Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh today said the Centre will soon launch a new software to enable e-connectivity of agricultural markets in the country. Speaking at the foundation ceremony of Sri Konda Laxmani Telangana State Horticulture University at Mulugu village in Medak district in Telangana, Singh said the new software could break the virtual and connectivity barriers of agricultural markets and will benefit the farmers in getting fair prices. According to an official release, the minister said Karnataka was able to bring 50 agricultural markets on one platform for the benefit of farmers.

"Twelve states, including Telangana, have sent proposals regarding this and the Centre will sanction Rs 30 lakh to each agricultural market," he said. The establishment of this horticultural university comes in response to the budget announcement made by the Finance Minister to establish horticultural university in Telangana along with one more horticultural university in Haryana and two agricultural universities in Andhra Pradesh and Rajasthan. An amount of Rs 10 crore has been released to the university in the financial year 2014-15. Rs 75 crore have been allocated in the current financial year, out of which Rs 37.5 crore has already been released as the first instalment. "With the establishment of this university, we are confident that the agricultural education and agriculture in general and horticulture in particular will get much needed boost," the minister added. Speaking on the occasion, Minister of State for Labour and Employment (Independent Charge), Bandaru Dattatreya said that the soil in Telangana state is suitable to develop the region as seed bowl.

Chief Minister of Telangana K Chandrashekar Rao requested the Union Minister for the Centre's help in making the Telangana as seed bowl of the world.