Update on Rythu Bandhu Scheme

After completing distribution of about 70% of the pattadar passbooks and about 65% of Rythu Bandhu investment cheques in the district, the administration here on Friday has decided to start the programme to distribute the benefit to farmers whose cheques had been withheld, from Monday.

Already a correction and re-verification exercise has been started at all the mandals. According to a plan prepared by the officials, cheques and passbooks would be checked again during the weekend.Holding a review of the field situation, District Collector Gaurav Uppal instructed officials from the Revenue and Agriculture to announce and publicise the exercise.

“Through VRAs, media and in some cases over the phone by the officials, beneficiaries were informed about the development,” a Tahsildar said. However, a clear figure on the number of farmers withheld from the benefit and the cheques and passbooks with errors was not available. An exercise was on to determine the figures, officials said.Officials are also preparing a list of farmers, who ‘gave up’ the benefit, or who extended the benefit to others.

Several errors, in wake of the ongoing exercise of re-verification started on Friday, showing differences in extent of area holding, and the same resulting in lower or higher amounts in the cheques, change in photographs of the farmers, and in some cases benefit was given to non-farmers.Mr. Uppal also said the several types of lists prepared accordingly were being handed over to the banks. Events that showed errors in cheques leading to dishonour will be collected back and their reprint ordered.

According to updated figures, distribution till Thursday evening showed 2.58 lakh of 3.71 lakh passbooks distributed, and 2.83 lakh of the 4.44 lakh cheques handed over.