Amaravati, July 22 (IANS) United Arab Emirates (UAE) Minister of Economy Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri met Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu here on Tuesday.

Yusuff Ali M.A., Chairman and Managing Director of LuLu International, was also present during the meeting.

“Had the pleasure of meeting H.E. Abdulla Bin Touq Al Marri, Hon’ble Minister of Economy of the United Arab Emirates, Mr. Yusuff Ali M.A., Chairman and Managing Director of LuLu International, and Mr. Adeeb Ahamed, Managing Director of LuLu Financial Holdings,” the Chief Minister posted on social media platform X.

“We had an engaging discussion on potential investment and development opportunities in Andhra Pradesh,” he added.

Meanwhile, at a review meeting on agriculture, Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu directed officials to collect crop details for every survey of land across the state through satellite.

He noted that the satellite survey conducted in Bhalabhadrapuram village of Bikkavolu mandal in East Godavari district highlighted comprehensive data. He emphasised comparing field-level data with satellite survey data and guiding farmers to cultivate uniform crops in specific areas.

He said Rythu Seva Kendras should provide continuous suggestions and assistance. The CM directed that after resurvey and cleansing of revenue records, agriculture records must also be updated.

The review also discussed the use of AI chatbots to assist farmers with crop planning and value addition. The Chief Minister stressed that farmers should receive the necessary information with the help of Artificial Intelligence.

Meanwhile, officials informed the CM that eKYC has been completed for 47,41,792 farmers under the Annadata Sukhibhava scheme. The CM instructed officials to identify eligible beneficiaries via the e-Crop platform and ensure financial assistance reaches every farmer in the state.

The CM reiterated that he prioritises agriculture and announced that he will soon hold virtual meetings with Water Users Associations to interact with them directly. Officials explained that, except for a few districts in South Coastal Andhra, the rest of the state has recorded normal rainfall during the Kharif season.

They stated that the major projects in Krishna, Godavari, and Vamsadhara basins are full and that due to abundant rains, cultivation area in the state has expanded. They reported that in this Kharif season, crops are being cultivated in 9.90 lakh hectares.

However, the CM suggested advancing the crop calendar to rely on rainfall and avoid losses from cyclones and heavy rains while allowing a second crop. He instructed ministers, MLAs, and officials to engage with farmers to raise awareness. He stressed that there should be no talk of drought and called for efficient utilisation of rainfall and planning to minimise use of water from projects.

–IANS

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