Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy on February 28 (Wednesday) disbursed ₹1,078.36 crore as the third tranche of financial assistance under the YSR Rythu Bharosa-PM Kisan scheme. He also released another ₹215.98 crore under the YSR Sunna Vaddi Panta Runalu initiative.
As many as 53.58 lakh farmers received the benefit under the Rythu Bharosa scheme, while 10.78 lakh farmers received the aid under the Sunna Vaddi initiative.
Speaking after releasing the amounts directly into the bank accounts of the beneficiary farmers at his camp office at Tadepalli, near here, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy said the government firmly believed that the State’s wellbeing depended on the prosperity of the farmers.
“Over the last 57 months, every decision of the government has been taken considering the welfare of farmers and farm workers. Throughout these five years, we have consistently offered support through Rythu Bharosa,” he said.
He said the government had disbursed more than ₹34,000 crore for the welfare of the farmers, and that each beneficiary of the Rythu Bharosa–PM Kisan received ₹67,500 in the last 57 months.
The Chief Minister claimed that his government had outperformed itself and delivered more than what it promised in the manifesto to benefit the farmers. “We promised to give ₹50,000 to each farmer in five years, but we have given ₹67,500,” he said.
Referring to the aid given under Sunna Vaddi scheme, he said the beneficiaries who had been consistently repaying loans received the financial assistance. “So far, 84.66 lakh farmers have received ₹2,050 crore as interest subsidy under this scheme in the last 57 months,” he said.
Slams Naidu
Accusing TDP national president and former Chief Minister N. Chandrababu Naidu of duping the farmers in the name of farm loan waiver, he said the hapless farmers were forced to pay ₹5,000 crore annually towards interest.
In his desperation to become the Chief Minister, Mr. Naidu promised farm loan waiver to the tune of ₹87,612 crore, but after coming to power, the TDP government had duped the farmers, Mr. Jagan Mohan Reddy alleged. Subsequently, the TDP government had also scrapped the zero-interest subsidy scheme, which severely impacted the farming community, he said, adding that during the TDP rule the farmers paid ₹5,000 crore to ₹6,000 crore annually towards interest and compound interest.
“On the contrary, the YSRCP government has spent ₹1.2 lakh crore for welfare of the farmers under various schemes,” he added.
He said Andhra Pradesh was the only State providing free crop insurance to the farmers. He spoke at length about the welfare measures such as supply of quality power for nine hours to over 19 lakh farmers, with each farmer getting free electricity worth ₹45,000 annually. “The government is spending ₹9,000 crore annually to provide free power to the farmers,” he said.
Speaking about the Rythu Bharosa Kendras established at the village level, he said they provided assistance to the farmers in various ways, including e-crop management. “We are trying to guide the farmers, right from sowing the seed to the sale of crops,” he said.
