Will Rythu Bandhu, crop compensation be disbursed before poll day?

Moves are afoot to assuage the ruffled feelings of farmers overnight, which in fact could be seen as a victory of the BRS, which has been relentlessly raising the issue of non-payment of Rythu Bandhu to farmers.

Hyderabad: Amid growing criticism that the State government failed to pay the crop investment assistance under the Rythu Bandhu scheme to the Yassangi farmers in full and the much awaited compensation for loss of crops caused by hailstorms this year, the Finance department has reportedly been directed to facilitate release of funds for making immediate payments under the two heads immediately.

Moves are afoot to assuage the ruffled feelings of farmers overnight, which in fact could be seen as a victory of the BRS, which has been relentlessly raising the issue of non-payment of Rythu Bandhu to farmers.

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Though Agriculture Minister Thummala Nageshwar Rao had claimed to have completed Rythu Bandhu payments for 92.68 per cent of the farmers toward the end of March, the government had drawn heavy flak for depriving the same support for the rest of the farmers.

A majority of the seven per cent farmers awaiting the crop investment support for the season are those with land holdings of five acres and more.

At places, farmers who were left disappointed with nonpayment of Rythu Bandhu had decided to vote against the government in the Parliamentary polls. As part of the damage control measures initiated by the government, the Finance Department was reportedly directed to ensure disbursal of Rythu Bandhu assistance to every farmer at least by May 10.

The government is hurriedly making arrangements for making the Rythu Bandhu payments ahead of the polling day. The non-payment of Rythu Bandhu assistance on time is also figuring prominently as a key election issue during the poll campaign.

BRS president and former Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao had made a scathing attack on Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy on this count even on Saturday at Mancherial, thus compelling the latter to respond with an assurance to farmers that the Yasangi tranche dues would be cleared before May 9.

The Department of Agriculture also announced simultaneously that the crop compensation would be paid to affected farmers either by Monday or Tuesday.

In an official release issued here, the department said the government had obtained the clearance of the Election Commission of India for clearing the compensation dues. Standing crops were left damaged in 15,814 acres in 10 districts due to hailstorms that battered the State from March 16 to 24.

The government had released Rs 15.81 crore for payment of compensation at the rate of Rs 10,000 per acre. As for Rythu Bandhu, 64,75,819 farmers out of the 70.54 lakh eligible beneficiaries are said to have received the crop investment assistance.

The crop investment assistance for Yasangi for rest of the farmers will be remitted to their respective bank accounts without any further delay, thanks to the Parliamentary polls and the relentless attack by the BRS.