Telangana's data doesn't meet Kisan guidelines

Hyderabad: The revised guidelines for the Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme to identify beneficiaries, that was sent out by the Central government on Wednesday, renders useless the extensive data collected by the state government on small and marginal farmers under its own farmer’s scheme, Rythu Bandhu.

The state government will have to start identifying the beneficiaries from the beginning.

The Central government wants the list of beneficiaries by February 25, but officials say it will take at least two months to prepare.

If the state government does not send the data by February 25, the Central government may hold it responsible for farmers not getting the first instalment, which it is in a hurry to disburse before the parliamentary elections. Officials said the guidelines make it difficult to identify beneficiaries. The Central government has also suggested exclusion of several landholders from the list.