Uncertainty looms over Rythu Bharosa disbursement

Even as the Telangana government began disbursing Rythu Bharosa assistance for the Vaanakalam season, uncertainty remains over whether all eligible farmers will receive support. The scheme continues to face criticism over delayed payments, pending dues and the lack of a clear implementation framework.

Hyderabad: Even as the Congress government launched the disbursement of Rythu Bharosa financial assistance to farmers on Tuesday, uncertainty persists over how many beneficiaries the scheme will eventually cover in the ongoing Vaanakalam (Kharif) season. Though the government announced that the first phase will cover 41.37 lakh farmers owning up to two acres, with an outlay of Rs 2,482.02 crore, it did not specify a timeline for subsequent phases or confirm whether farmers with larger holdings will receive their due.

Nearly two-and-a-half years after coming to power on a promise of enhanced investment support for farmers, the government continues to face criticism over the scheme’s implementation, with unpaid dues, delayed disbursements and the absence of a clear policy framework remaining unresolved.

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The Congress had promised Rs 15,000 per acre annually, which works out to Rs 7,500 per acre per season, but later restricted this to Rs 12,000 annually. However, even the revised commitment has not been implemented uniformly across seasons. As per official records, the previous BRS government provided Rythu Bandhu investment support to around 1.48 crore acres of land per season. But after the Congress came to power, it has never been extended in full in any season, excluding Vaanakalam 2025.

Based on the original manifesto promise, farmers should have received about Rs 55,800 crore over the five cropping seasons since the Congress took office. Only around Rs 27,080 crore has reportedly been disbursed, leaving a shortfall of Rs 28,720 crore. Even when calculated at the revised rate of Rs 6,000 per acre per season, the outstanding amount works out to Rs 17,560 crore.

Beyond the funding gap, the scheme has suffered from the absence of comprehensive guidelines and a transparent eligibility framework. The government has changed its mode of disbursement across seasons and restricted payments to farmers owning up to two or three acres during a couple of seasons, without clearly articulating the basis for such exclusions.

Unlike the earlier Rythu Bandhu scheme, under which investment support was released to all eligible landowners at the start of every cropping season, Rythu Bharosa has not been implemented uniformly in any of the five seasons since the Congress assumed office. The 2024 Vaanakalam season reportedly saw no disbursement at all, while subsequent seasons saw phased payments with acreage limits, leaving a section of farmers outside the scheme’s ambit.

With investment support continuing to arrive in instalments rather than as a predictable seasonal benefit, questions remain over whether the government can fully deliver on one of its flagship electoral promises.

Rythu Bharosa for 2025 Vaanakalam season

• Total 1.48 crore acres
• Total 73.32 lakh farmers
• First phase to cover 41.37 lakh farmers owning up to two acres
• Rs 17,560 crore pending financial assistance to farmers at the rate of Rs 6,000 per acre
• Rythu Bharosa for 2024 Vaanakalam was skipped altogether and implemented partially for the other four seasons.