Kakinada: Farmers sceptical over financial dole plans

Kakinada: Many farmers express doubts on the implementation of 'Annadata Sukhibhava' scheme announced by the state and Central government.

The authorities have not framed any guidelines or instructions for the agriculture department over the scheme. Farmers say that they could not believe anything positive from the scheme just as has been happening with many of the previous schemes.

The Union government announced a provision of Rs 6,000 cash each to farmers possessing less than five acres of land. The state government announced Rs 10,000 to each and every farmer without consideration of the acreage including tenant farmers.

The farmers say that they could not believe what  Chief Minister Chandrababu Naidu has been saying and suspect that he would frame so many guidelines that the farmers would be discouraged to accept the scheme.

"Mr Naidu plays tricks when elections are coming. During 2014 elections, the Chief Minister pledged that he would waive the total agriculture loans of farmers. But, after assuming power as chief minister, he made several twists for the scheme and it has been applied to only to those cultivating specifically paddy and remaining farmers have been belied by  Mr Naidu," said Bharatiya Kisan Sangh leader Mutyala Srirama Nagendra Prasad (Jameel).

He said under the present scheme also, the government can impose several conditions for implementing it. It may divide the scheme such as being applicable to a particular crop growers and finally, the beneficiaries' list can be reduced drastically. He requested Mr Naidu to ive a promise of not playing tricks while implementing the scheme and apply it to all farmers without restrictions as the government announced the certain amount.

Sarvodaya Rythu Mandali president K. Nagabhushanam of West Godavari said that the scheme is an 'election stunt' and Mr Naidu has been playing such gimmicks before elections. However, he said that it is good, if the government really gives the amount to farmers.

Meanwhile, according to Agriculture department statistics, there are more than 9 lakh farmers including  6.73 ownners of farm land and 2.49 lakh  working as tenant farmers.

More than Rs 900 crore would be needed to be released for the farmers under the scheme.  Many of the tenant farmers could not get the loans due to the technical problems in releasing of the loans. The tenant farmers are seeking the government to include them also.