Telangana is accelerating its transformation toward technology-driven agriculture and rural development by combining digital innovation with welfare-focused initiatives. While the state has requested the Centre's support to provide housing to 1.156 million eligible rural families under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G), it is also expanding the use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), geospatial technology, and digital platforms to modernize farming practices.
The state has already created a digital database of more than 7 million farmers, enabling improved service delivery and data-driven agricultural planning. Through its 'Krishi Mitra' model, farmers are receiving timely, field-level, and location-specific advisory services aimed at improving productivity and farm management.
Telangana has urged the Central Government to extend support for providing permanent housing to nearly 1.156 million eligible households under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G). The state has also emphasized the need for strengthening rural development programmes and improving the implementation of employment and livelihood initiatives to accelerate inclusive growth across rural areas.
Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy highlighted that Telangana is making extensive use of Artificial Intelligence (AI), geospatial technology, and digital innovations to make agriculture more efficient and sustainable. Under the state's Krishi Mitra initiative, farmers receive timely, location-specific advisories at the field level. The government has also developed a comprehensive digital database covering more than 7 million farmers, helping improve fertilizer availability, streamline online booking and distribution, and enhance transparency in agricultural input management.
Despite receiving lower-than-normal rainfall, Telangana has reported higher crop coverage compared to the corresponding period last year. The state government has launched awareness campaigns through Gram Panchayats while preparing district-specific contingency plans to help farmers cope with changing weather conditions. These plans focus on promoting drought-resilient crops and ensuring the timely availability of suitable seed varieties in areas facing moisture stress.
Technology-Driven Agriculture Model May Be Replicated:
Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan praised Telangana's adoption of AI and digital technologies in agriculture, stating that such innovations can significantly improve farm productivity, reduce cultivation costs, and ensure faster delivery of advisory and extension services to farmers.
FAQs:
1. What is Telangana's AI farming initiative?
Telangana is using Artificial Intelligence (AI), geospatial technology, and digital platforms under the Krishi Mitra programme to provide location-specific advisory services and improve farm productivity.
2. How many farmers are included in Telangana's digital database?
The state has created a digital database of more than 7 million farmers to improve agricultural planning and government service delivery.
3. What is Telangana's request under PMAY-G?
The state has requested Central Government support to provide permanent houses to 1.156 million eligible rural families under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana-Gramin (PMAY-G).
4. How is technology helping Telangana farmers?
Technology is improving fertilizer distribution, online booking systems, transparency, field-level advisory services, and overall farm management through AI and digital tools.
5. Why is Telangana's agriculture model important?
Despite below-normal rainfall, Telangana has achieved higher crop coverage by combining AI, digital technology, contingency planning, and farmer awareness programmes, making it a potential model for other states.
