AP CS reviews functioning of Rythu Bazars

Hyderabad, Aug 28 (INN): Andhra Pradesh Chief Secretary IYR Krishna Rao said that priority should be given to cleanliness, hygiene in and around the 80 Rythu Bazars that have been set up across  the thirteen districts of  Andhra Pradesh.

Reviewing the functioning of ‘Rythu Bazars’ in the State at the Secretariat with officials of Agri. Marketing, Horticulture and Municipal Administration departments, the Chief Secretary  stressed for  drastic improvement in the infrastructure facilities  provided to the farmers at Rythu Bazars like lunch room  safe drinking water, toilet, etc., He instructed them to take steps for proper  sanitation and hygienic surroundings and  regular  garbage clearance in and around the Rythu Bazars in coordination with MAUD department. He further asked the officials to examine the feasibility of setting up a Vermi compost facility utilizing the waste away from Rythu Bazars. He suggested that wherever Rythu Bazars were not viable they could be shifted to other places and also examine prospects of operating mobile Rythu Bazars in coordination with APSRTC where there is good demand.

Rythu Bazar officials informed the Chief Secretary that they had proposals to set up three Vegetable and Fruit Distribution Centres at Visakhapatnam, Vijayawada and Tirupathi.  Besides Cold Storage units, they had plans to offer direct marketing facilities to farmers. They said on an average 40,000 quintals of vegetables are sold in Rythu Bazars with participation of 3,490 farmers and 706 Self Help Groups. The farmers were also provided weighing machines free of cost and no market fees are collected from them at Rythu Bazars, officials said.

Principal Secretary (APC) Ranjeev Acharya, CDMA Vani Mohan, Rythu Bazar CEO MK Singh and other concerned officials attended the meeting.