First public meeting on Rythu Bharosa held in Khammam

The meeting was the first of 10 meetings scheduled across the State and was presided over by the chairman of the Cabinet sub-committee on Rythu Bharosa.

Khammam: People from different walks of life came up with multiple suggestions on the eligibility criteria and other aspects of the Rythu Bharosa financial input scheme. The meeting, organised here on Wednesday by the government, saw many suggesting that the scheme be limited to genuine farmers with small and marginal holdings.

The meeting was the first of 10 meetings scheduled across the State and was presided over by the chairman of the Cabinet sub-committee on Rythu Bharosa, Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka along with members Tummala Nageswara Rao and Ponguleti Srinivasa Reddy. Farmers, agriculture scientists, doctors, lawyers, journalists and others shared their opinion and suggestions on the scheme’s implementation.

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A common suggestion made by many was the scheme should benefit only those engaged in farming, especially small and marginal farmers. Some said tenant farmers should be given Rythu Bharosa by issuing identity cards by organising gram sabhas like it was done in 2011. A few said instead of Rythu Bharosa, all farmers should be provided with bonus on the crops they harvested.

Some speakers noted that farmers with large land holdings and government employees should be kept away from the scheme along with real estate lands. Some said that Rythu Bharosa should be provided to farmers holding pattas and tenant farmers should be given a bonus.

Bhatti Vikramarka said the government would provide investment assistance to farmers as promised and said the government had cleared pending Rythu Bandhu dues. After the Central government introduces the full budget, the State government would soon introduce the full budget keeping in mind the funds allotted to the State government by the Centre.

The Cabinet sub-committee aims to formulate the procedures for Rythu Bharosa implementation at the time of introducing the full budget. The sub-committee would collect opinions from stakeholders by organising meetings in ten erstwhile districts, he said.

Nageswara Rao said that opinion gathering was being done to provide Rythu Bharosa to genuine farmers and to help small and marginal farmers. Srinivas Reddy noted that every rupee spent by the government was paid by the people and it was its responsibility to account for every paisa. The opinions collected from the public would be debated in the upcoming Assembly session to make a proper decision.

MPs R Raghuram Reddy and P Balaram Naik, Principal Secretary (Finance) K Ramakrishna Rao, Khammam and Kothagudem district Collectors Muzammil Khan and Jitesh V Patil, MLAs M Ragamayi, Ramdas Naik and T Venkata Rao were present.