Rythu Bandhu: Telangana govt credits Rs 586.66 crore into farmers accounts

Hyderabad: The State government on Tuesday credited Rs 586.66 crore into the bank accounts of farmers with less than one acre land on the first day of the Rythu Bandhu investment support scheme. The first day of the ninth season of the scheme benefited about 19.98 lakh farmers covering a total area of 11.73 lakh acres across Telangana.

In a statement, Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy said Telangana was the only State in the country that provides investment assistance to farmers, while none of the national parties such as the BJP and Congress ever implemented it in States ruled by them. The State government is providing Rs 5,000 per acre each during Vaanakalam and Yasangi seasons, towards purchase of seeds, fertilisers, pesticides and other material.

The scheme will benefit about 68.1 lakh eligible farmers who own a total 1.5 crore acres of farm land in the State. A total amount of Rs 7,521.8 crore will be transferred into the bank accounts of farmers in a phased manner on the basis of their land ownership.