State to introduce Rythu Bandhu scheme

Hyderabad: Marketing Minister T Harish Rao on Wednesday said that the State government has decided to introduce Rythu Bandhu Scheme to provide interest-free loans of Rs 2 lakh to farmers for six months who store their produce in storage houses or godowns.

To provide remunerative prices and storage capacity, the government was spending Rs 1,024 crore for construction of adequate number of godowns in the State, he said.

Harish Rao conducted a review meeting with officials and directed them to complete the construction of the godowns on a war-footing and provide adequate space for farmers’ produce and offer them remunerative prices and loans without interest for six months.

Besides giving them remunerative prices, the government would provide either loan amount equivalent to 75 per cent of the produce stored or Rs 2 lakh, he stated.

Harish Rao said high technology gadgets, internet, WhatsApp and sound system were being used to strengthen the market yards and monitor for better functioning by receiving complaints from the farmers.

He said Rs 80 crore was being spent to provide all facilities at market yards, set up cotton purchase centres through CCI from October 10 to 30 and increased their number to 90 from 80. Steps were being taken to construct at least one godown in a mandal headquarter.

As any as 292 godowns with 10.22 lakh tons capacity would be constructed this year while construction of 128 godowns with 6.85 lakh tons began last year.

As part of stabilising prices, a nodal agency was set up and keeping escalating onion prices in view, the government spent Rs 17.38 crore and supplied 37.14 lakh kilograms of onions (Rs 20 a kg) to 18.57 lakh families. Rythu bazaars will be set up in all revenue divisions, he added.

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