Govt. committed to implement Rythu Bharosa against all odds: Bhatti

Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka has asserted that the government is committed to provide investment subsidy to farmers assured under Rythu Bharosa and will implement the promise in spite of financial difficulties.

Mr. Vikramarka chaired a meeting of the Cabinet sub-committee on Rythu Bharosa on Sunday to discuss the modalities to disburse Rythu Bharosa amounts to farmers for the forthcoming Yasangi (Rabi) season. The meeting examined the implementation of the scheme since its launch as well as the feedback from farmers during the panel’s visit to districts.

He said that the government was committed to fulfil is promise of Rythu Bharosa and had accordingly made a provision of ₹72,569 crore for agriculture and allied sectors in the current year’s Budget.

He recalled how the government had implemented the promise of crop loan waiver up to ₹2 lakh by spending over ₹21,000 crore in a span of two months, and said that the Farmers’ Commission had been constituted to suggest ways to make farming remunerative and recommend measures for the welfare of farmers.

In addition, it was decided to utilise Rythu Vedikas effectively to educate farmers and steps had been initiated to modernise these platforms by providing video conferencing facilities enabling farmers to interact with experts. The government had spent ₹4 crore to set up video conferencing facility in the 110 Rythu Vedikas so far.

The government had credited ₹7,625 crore into the accounts of farmers owning 1.57 crore acres in Yasangi last year. It would also pay the entire premium under the crops insurance scheme without burdening them.

Mr. Vikramarka said that it was decided to promote cultivation of oil palm in one lakh acres during the current year and ₹133.5 crore, including the Central Government’s share of ₹80.10 crore, had been released for this. This was in addition to paying a bonus of ₹500 per quintal of fine rice procured from farmers. Government had nominated senior IAS officials to monitor paddy procurement from farmers.

Ministers Tummala Nageswara Rao, D. Sridhar Babu and Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy and senior officials attended the meeting.