Genuine farmers to get financial assistance, says Telangana Cong leader

Hyderabad, Dec 11 (IANS) The new Congress government in Telangana will provide financial assistance under Rythu Bharosa to only those farmers who are actually engaged in farming, said senior leader and legislator T. Jeevan Reddy.

The Congress, under its six guarantees, had announced financial assistance of Rs 15,000 per acre annually, an increase of Rs 5,000 from what the farmers were getting under Rythu Bandhu of the previous BRS government.

Jeevan Reddy, a member of Legislative Council, claimed that many land owners were receiving money under Rythu Bandhu despite not being engaged in agriculture. He alleged that land owners and real estate dealers were showing hundreds of acres as agricultural land on Dharani portal to avail the benefits under this scheme.

The Congress leader said the government will credit the money in the bank accounts of farmers by December end after ensuring that only those cultivating their lands receive the assistance.

He said the government would ensure that every genuine farmer gets Rs 7,500 per acre for every crop season. Thus, the farmers will get Rs 15,000 per acre every year.

While tenant farmers were not covered by Rythu Bandhu, the Congress party has promised to cover them under Rythu Bharosa.

The Congress also promised Rs 12,000 annual financial assistance each to agriculture labourers.

Meanwhile, Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has questioned the delay in disbursement of financial assistance to farmers. BRS leader and former minister T. Harish Rao recalled that when the Election Commission stopped disbursement under Rythu Bandhu, the Congress party had asked farmers to wait for a week to get higher financial assistance.

Harish Rao also reminded Congress leaders that they had promised to procure paddy by paying an additional Rs 500 bonus per quintal. The Congress leaders had advised farmers not to give their paddy for procurement under the BRS government but to wait until the Congress came to power, he said.

The BRS claims that its government disbursed Rs 72,000 crore among 65 lakh farmers during the last 10 seasons.