Ruthu Bharosa: 30 % farmers yet to get aiddue to inactive bank accounts

Srikakulam: More than 30 per cent of the farmers unable to receive financial aid under the Rythu Bharosa scheme as their bank accounts are not in operation. The State government is paying Rs 13,500 for each farmer as financial aid for cultivation of crop yearly.

Of the total aid amount, Rs 6,000 is Central government's share and remaining Rs 7,500 is State government's share. To receive financial aid under the Rythu Bharosa scheme, a farmer should have a bank account and it should be in activation mode and the bank account number should be linked with Aadhaar number of the farmer.

Normally, after opening of bank account, farmers are not making regular transactions through their bank account and they are also not maintaining minimum balance in their accounts. As a result, bankers kept the accounts of the farmers under category of not in active mode. As the accounts of farmers are not active, the financial aid is not credited into their accounts.

In Srikakulam district, out of total 5,85,000 farmers, 2,87,000 farmers are eligible for Rythu Bharosa scheme as per norms. Out of the total eligible farmers 30 per cent farmers' bank accounts were kept in not in active mode.

All these farmers are started visiting the banks to activate their accounts to get the financial aid. The farmers are also making representations to officials and to the ruling party leaders and MLAs. "We have prepared list of farmers for Rythu Bharosa scheme but some farmers have not been received the amount under the scheme due to inactive bank account problem," said joint director for agriculture P Ganga Varaprasad said.

"Bank account of any person will be kept under in active category if they failed to maintain minimum balance and not making any transactions for a period of certain time," said lead bank district manager G V B D Hari Prasad. "We are motivating bankers to inform farmers to activate their accounts to receive the Rythu Bharosa amount," he added.