Telangana sanctions Rs 22.5 cr for farmers killed in agitation over 3 laws

Hyderabad, Nov (IANS) The Telangana Cabinet on Monday sanctioned Rs 22.5 crore for financial assistance to the families of farmers killed during the nation-wide agitation against the three controversial, now withdrawn farm laws of the Centre.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao announced this at a news conference at the Cabinet meeting presided over by him.

As announced earlier, the state government will pay Rs 3 lakh each to the kin of 750 farmers killed during the year-long agitation.

The Chief Minister said he or his cabinet colleagues will hand over the cheques to the families of the deceased farmers.

KCR, as Rao is popularly known, demanded that the Centre pay Rs 25 lakh each to the families of these farmers. He alleged that the farmers were killed by the Narendra Modi government by bringing the three legislations.

Asked to comment on criticism by opposition parties that the state government is not paying compensation to farmers who died in the state, KCR claimed that nowhere in the world there is a scheme like Rythu Bhima which is being implemented in Telangana.

"Whatever may be the cause of death, under the Rythu Bhima scheme, Rs 5 lakh is paid to the family of the deceased farmer in one week," he said.