Telangana BJP has demanded that the Congress government announce the release of the farmers’ financial assistance scheme or ‘Rythu Bharosa’ at its next scheduled Cabinet meeting later this week without any further delay.
Addressing a press conference at the State office on Thursday, Legislature Party leader A. Maheshwar Reddy said the government has kept the farmers waiting for the last one year with deadlines being extended on the premise that the Cabinet Sub-Committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Bhatti Vikramarka is still studying the revised proposals to decide beneficiaries’ criteria.
The BJP leader questioned the delay in the sub-committee submitting its recommendations on the subject to the government despite district tours and discussions with various stakeholders. He wanted the panel to present its case to the Cabinet at the meeting. The government should also start releasing the amounts due to the farmers and also the promised financial assistance to the farm labour from the Sankranti festival.
The previous BRS government had released ₹15,000 crore for 69 lakh farmers under the ‘Rythu Bandhu’ and going by the Congress party’s guarantee during the elections, it should be releasing ₹23,000 crore under the promised enhanced monetary benefit. But the government had allocated just ₹15,000 crore in the budget. The BJP demanded that the promised amount be disbursed during the current agriculture season itself.
Mr. Reddy wanted the government to release a total of ₹46,000 crore to the identified farmer beneficiaries taking into consideration the last farm season also. Similarly, it owes ₹12,000 crore due to the farm labour which was also promised during the election and the amount was allocated in the budget too, but was yet to be released for the intended beneficiaries.
“People of Telangana are hoping the government will change its outlook and provide sufficient funds for the various promises made to the various sections of the society including youth, women and others, apart from the farmers. The first year has been about stifling Opposition voices, empty rhetoric, corruption charges, demolitions and more loans, instead of implementing welfare schemes to the needy. There is no people’s governance but only cheating of people,” he added.
Published – January 02, 2025 06:33 pm IST
