Harish Rao asks banks not to withhold Rythu Bandhu aid

Harish directs bankers not to withhold or adjust it against dues

Hyderabad: Finance Minister T Harish Rao on Tuesday instructed bankers not to withhold Rythu Bandhu amounts and assured farmers that any amount withheld or adjusted would be credited into their account at the earliest.

For the convenience of farmers, two toll-free numbers — 18002001001 and 04033671300 — have been set up that will be operational from 8 am to 8 pm. The Minister said that farmers can call on these numbers for lodging complaints and that a State-level team would also monitor the issues.

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The move comes in the wake of some instances being brought to the government’s notice that some banks were not permitting farmers to withdraw their Rythu Bandhu amount. In some cases, the bankers were adjusting the amount against dues.

To address these issues, the Finance Minister and Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar held an emergency State Level Bankers Conference here on Tuesday. The bankers said no instructions were issued to the branches to withhold the Rythu Bandhu amount or adjust them against dues. Strict instructions would be issued to banks to ensure that no such issue crops up. The District Collectors were also instructed to monitor the same at the district level.

This apart, the Finance Minister also instructed the bankers to expedite the disbursement and the renewal of crop loans.

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