Amaravati: Farmers receive Rythu Bharosa

Amaravati: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday released the third tranche of YSR Rythu Bharosa-PM Kisan of Rs 1,120 crore benefiting 51.59 lakh farmers along with the compensation of Rs 646 crore for crops damaged during the Nivar cyclone for 8.34 lakh farmers. A total of Rs 1,766 crore was deposited in the farmers' bank accounts with a single click.

Speaking on this occasion, the Chief Minister said that the state government had spent Rs 61,400 crore towards farmers' welfare in the last 18 months adding that he believes that the state would be better if the farmer is happy and doing well. He said that the state government is committed to safeguarding the farmers' interests and thus provided Rs 13,101 crore under YSR Rythu Bharosa-PM Kisan by giving Rs 13,500 every year to 51.59 lakh farmers, including the tenant farmers and those cultivating the forest lands.

He made it clear that his government's goal was to give better profits for the farmers and thus established Rythu Bharosa Kendras, agri labs, marketing Uunits and promised to set up cold storage, godowns, primary and secondary processing units and Janata Bazaars at the village level.

The previous government that had abandoned the farmers and cheated them by promising to waive off Rs 87,612 crore of farm loans, had hardly spent Rs 12,000 crore in their 5-year rule. The previous TDP government had left a huge pile of debts to farmers including the subsidy for crops, seeds, insurance, electricity arrears and zero-interest loans. The arrears left by the previous government were paid by the YSRCP government, including providing an ex gratia to 434 farmers families who committed suicide during TDP rule.

In regard to input subsidy, he said that the state government had paid Rs 1,038.46 crore between June-November compensating the crop loss due to heavy rains and floods. Also, the government had cleared the unpaid dues of the previous government of Rs 960 crore for paddy procurement, arrears of Rs 383 crore were also paid under the seed subsidy, Rs 17,430 crore on free electricity and aqua farmers, including Rs 8655 crore of debt.

To provide 9 hours free electricity during day time, the state government had started strengthening of feeders at an expenditure of Rs 1,700 crore. He said that the government had cleared Rs 904 crore of pending arrears for zero-interest loans left by the previous government and credited Rs 510 crore towards YSR zero-interest crop loans and given Rs 1,968 crore under YSR crop insurance.

The Chief Minister lambasted TDP president N Chandrababu Naidu for being irresponsible and playing cheap political dramas pretending to have a concern for farmers. He said that the opposition leader lives far away from the land and close to the Zoom app. "Chandrababu had landed his son (Lokesh) and adopted son (Pawan Kalyan) in state but he doesn't have trust in either of them, as people rejected both," he said.

The Chief Minister said that the cyclone relief was announced on multiple occasions and the state had also purchased the damaged crops even though they are moist and germinated. Under relief measures, 43,000 quintals of seeds was given at 80 per cent subsidy. Despite taking so many measures, the opposition leaders are still trying derive political mileage by levelling false allegations.

Chief Secretary Nilam Sawhney, agriculture minister Kurasala Kannababu, special chief secretary Poonam Malakondaiah, commissioner of agriculture Arun Kumar, special commissioner of disaster management Kannababu, special commissioner of marketing department P S Pradhyumna, AP Agri Mission vice-chairman M V S Nagireddy and others were present at the event.