Telangana’s farmers call Revanth Reddy’s unfulfilled Rythu Bharosa promise cruel ‘April Fool’ prank

The Congress government had claimed to have already disbursed Rythu Bharosa payments for farmers owning up to three acres. But farmers across the districts have disputed the claim.

Hyderabad: Hopes of farmers in the State had started burning bright after Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy‘s recent promise that Rs.12,000 would be credited into accounts of 90 percent of eligible farmers by March 31. However, with the long awaited Rythu Bharosa payments remaining pending even on April 1, farmers are now saying that the State government had played a cruel April Fool prank on them.

The Congress government had claimed to have already disbursed Rythu Bharosa payments for farmers owning up to three acres. But farmers across the districts have disputed the claim. Farmers with four acres, who were supposed to receive their payments by February 13, are still waiting. This delay has raised concerns that, as in the previous Yasangi season, funds might be credited only at the harvest time instead of the beginning of the season, if at all they are credited.

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Farmers are of the impression that Rythu Bharosa would have been of considerable help if it was given at the crucial sowing stage. The inordinate delays have caused frustration among farmers. Many have started falling back on private lending sources for crop investment support. The government initially deposited Rs.568.99 crore to 4.41 lakh farmers on January 26. Subsequent phases saw Rs.557.54 crore released for one-acre farmers on February 5, followed by payments for two-acre and three-acre farmers on February 10 and February 12, respectively.

However, the assistance for four-acre farmers remained pending. Comparisons were being drawn by the farmers between previous BRS government’s Rythu Bandhu scheme, which ensured investment assistance was disbursed well within the scheduled duration once the distribution started. But the Congress government’s handling of Rythu Bharosa has led to confusion and delays. It has taken away the farmers’ trust in the administration.

After Revanth Reddy recently announced additional funding for the scheme to implement it in a full-fledged manner and promised payment of the crop investment support before the end of the financial year, Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswar Rao had also assured the farmers on the same lines. The promise was looked upon by the farmers as a Ugadi gift from the government. But it turned out to be just one on the long list of unfulfilled promises of the Congress government.

Farmers from different districts have confirmed that no Rythu Bharosa payments were credited to their accounts on March 31. The delays in payment under the Rythu Bharosa scheme, the Congress government’s rebranded version of K Chandrashekhar Rao’s highly successful and impactful Rythu Bandhu, are making farmers sceptical of the government’s commitment to its assurances.