GASP delegation meets Jagan

Vijayawada: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday met the representatives of Global Alliance for Sustainable Planet (GASP) for starting a pilot project of manufacturing value-added materials from garbage as part of implementation of eco friendly methods for sustainable growth.

During a meeting held at his camp office near here, the Chief Minister said the pilot project should be linked with Jagananna Swachha Sankalpam programme and make the beaches very clean. He said it is a good development that the plastic waste being collected is recycled and added that a clear mechanism is in place in the State for collection of garbage. He said the State Government has been seriously looking into recycling and reusing of non bio-degredable materials and the experience of GASP should be used in this regard.

Reddy said the State Government has set up 10,777 Rytu Bharosa Kendras ( RBKs) and a kiosk is arranged in each RBK and added that Agriculture and Horticulture Assistants are also working from there. He said seeds and fertilizers are being supplied through RBKs after the state certifying the quality.

The Chief Minister said every crop is being recorded online, e cropped and geo tagged so that the subsidies of the government can reach the beneficiary easily and compensation to crop loss can be provided. The Chief Minister said RBKs have been playing a vital role in all these activities and added that they would become centers for natural farming in future.

He said there is need to strengthen RBKs and encourage hiring centers for natural farming. He said natural farming methods should not be confined to labs and they should be made available to farmers and encouraged in every village across the state. He said there is need to fix remunerative price to natural farming products and the difference of price of regular farming and natural farming products should be clearly seen and added that natural farming products should be certified. He said the State is looking into setting up a university for natural farming and also suggested for a graduation course in natural farming. In regard to eco tourism, the Chief Minister instructed the officials to prepare plans to provide employment opportunities to locals.

GASP representative, renowned international designer, Parley for the Oceans founder Cyrill Gutsch gave a presentation to the Chief Minister on plastic waste removal and recycling.