A beneficiary under the Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, Kendre Balaji, converted an agency area of Deccan Plateau, into Shimla of Telangana by cultivating Apples. The first crop of these Apples, cultivated in a remote village Dhanora in Komaram Bheem Asifabad district of Telangana, is ready for harvest in a week or so. The 35 year-old progressive farmer is now planning to sell his first apple crop at his farm itself due to lockdown.<br />'' <br />'' AIR Correspondent reports, an intermediate drop out, Balaji wanted to prove that anything can be cultivated in any climate with hard work as an input. A beneficiary of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, Balaji championed organic farming in his 10 acres land and began growing Shimla Apple plants for the past 4 years. He found that the hilly terrain and cool climate of Kerameri, which is at the highest point at an altitude of 220 meters above sea level, is the right place to cultivate Apples. One of his friends working in the Army initially brought apple saplings from Shimla. <br />'' <br />'' Later, the officials in the Hyderabad-based CCMB and state agriculture department have helped him to get more saplings and his farm now grown into a one with 400 apple plants. He says the first ever apple crop of Telangana can be harvested by the end of this month and he wants the first fruit of his hard work be presented to Chief Minister of Telangana K Chandrasekhar Rao, for which he already got a call.<br />'' <br />'' Besides the first apple grower in the state, he has many caps to wear as a progressive farmer. He has been cultivating multiple horticulture crops like mango, Thai Guava, Sapota and also millets, all are being grown in organic methods. He received earlier the Best Farmer Award and also a member of local Rythu Samanvaya Samithi of the state Government. <br />''  <br />