Telangana has emerged as a top producer of food crops, achieving a cumulative growth rate of 16.42% between 2018-19 and 2023-24. This impressive performance has propelled the state ahead of traditional agricultural powerhouses like Punjab, Haryana, and West Bengal. A recent report released by the central government highlights the remarkable growth rate of Telangana under the leadership of former CM KCR.
According to the report, no other state has come close to competing with Telangana’s growth rate in food crop production. Maharashtra follows in second place with a growth rate of 7.11%, a significant 9.31% behind Telangana. Other states, including Bihar (5.14%), Madhya Pradesh (4.35%), Karnataka (3.18%), Uttar Pradesh (1.65%), Punjab (0.66%), Haryana (0.34%), and West Bengal (0.14%), have recorded considerably lower growth rates.
Experts attribute Telangana’s success in the agricultural sector to the Kaleshwaram project and various farmer welfare schemes initiated by KCR. The Kaleshwaram project, KCR’s brainchild, has been instrumental in directing Godavari river water to the state’s agricultural lands. As a result, water bodies across the state have been replenished, significantly boosting groundwater levels.
In addition to the Kaleshwaram project, the state has implemented several farmer-centric initiatives. The Rythu Bandhu scheme provides investment support to farmers, while the Rythu Bima scheme offers insurance coverage. The government has also facilitated the purchase of tractors at subsidized rates and ensured the procurement of grains directly from farmers, all of which have significantly bolstered agriculture in Telangana. These initiatives have encouraged farmers to intensify their cultivation efforts, leading to bountiful harvests.
The availability of Kaleshwaram water has resolved the irrigation water shortage in the state, leading to a substantial increase in cultivated areas. Before 2018-19, the cultivated area was around 1.30 crore acres. However, this figure has been steadily rising since then, reaching 2.21 crore acres by 2022-23. Correspondingly, crop production has also surged, with Telangana now producing an impressive 3 crore tonnes of grain, even surpassing Punjab at one point.