Rs 500 cr for horticulture development: Reddy

Machilipatnam, Dec 17 (UNI) The Andhra Pradesh government has decided to spend Rs 500 crore to develop horticulture, Agriculture and Horticulture Minister N Raghuveera Reddy said today.

Addressing a public meeting at Nuzividu in Krishna district, he said horticulture would be developed through drip irrigation, micro drip, sprinkle, post harvesting, packaging, grading and exporting facilities.

The state government had sent a proposal to the Union government to set up an export zone with an estimated cost of Rs 40 crore in Nuzividu area.

During the next academic year, three horticulture colleges would be set up in the three regions of Andhra, Telangana and Rayalaseema, he said adding that the government also proposed to introduce diploma courses in veterinary, horticulture and agriculture in every district.

The government has prepared a special Rs 20 crore package for the Kolleru lake people, who lost their livlhood due to operation Kolleru and also to provide job opportunities to 500 displaced persons.

Earlier, the Minister laid the foundation stone for setting up a horticulture research Laboratory under the control of Acharya Ranga Agriculture University.

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