Harish Rao lashes out at Congress government over Rythu Bharosa cuts

BRS MLA demands the ruling party to restore assistance to one lakh farmers with landholding of up to one acre

Hyderabad: Former Minister and senior BRS MLA T Harish Rao lashed out at the Congress government, for betraying farmers by slashing the promised financial assistance under Rythu Bharosa and excluding lakhs of cultivators from the scheme. He demanded that the government restore one lakh farmers with landholding up to one acre, but were left out and provide them Rythu Bharosa support.

Following the State government’s announcement to release Rythu Bharosa funds to farmers with up to one acre landholding on Wednesday, Harish Rao said while the Congress initially promised Rs 7,500 per acre, it was later reduced to Rs 6,000, and now, the scheme is being selectively implemented. He pointed out that of Telangana’s 68 lakh farmers, only 21.45 lakh have received assistance, leaving 47 lakh farmers in uncertainty.

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He stated that the BRS government had identified 22.55 lakh small and marginal farmers with landholding upto one acre for Rythu Bandhu investment support in 2023, while the Congress cut off over 1.09 lakh beneficiaries from the list for Rythu Bharosa aid. “Why is Chief Minister Revanth Reddy silent on this? When will these farmers get their due?” he questioned.

Slamming the Congress for delays and inconsistencies, he said, “First, they promised assistance by Sankranti, then pushed it to March, and now there’s no clarity if it will come even by end of the harvest season.” He charged the Congress government with prioritising cost-cutting over farmers’ welfare. He reminded that around 415 farmers committed suicides in the last 14 months due to loan burdens and lack of support.