Vijayawada: Financial aid to help farming community

VIJAYAWADA: The agricultural schemes announced by the Union government and AP State government have helped farmers. The BJP government started Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) and the Telugu Desam government started Annadata Sukhibhava schemes to help farmers. According to reports, there were 60,91,491 farmers eligible for the Annadata Sukhibhava scheme in 13 districts of AP State and these farmers were going to benefit from the scheme.

The highest number of 6,55,867 beneficiaries were in Anantapur district followed by 5,79,847 beneficiaries in East Godavari district, 5,78.488 beneficiaries in Guntur district, 5,47,082 in Kurnool district, 5,26,195 Chittoor district, 4,73,498 in Prakasam district, 4,69,536 in West Godavari district, 4,48,739 in Krishna district, 4,28,867 in Visakhapatnam district, 3,87.188 in Srikakulam district, 3,59,162 in Kadapa district, 3,27, 336 in Nellore district and 3,09,726 beneficiaries in Vizianagaram district.

Farmers K. Seetharamaiah and others said that a farmer had to invest at least Rs 35,000 per acre to cultivate paddy, Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000 for maize, Rs 1 lakh for red chilli and turmeric, Rs 40,000 to Rs 50,000 for cotton, Rs 35,000 to Rs 10,000 for other crops. They added that these investments were for farmers who had lands and therefore investments would further increase for tenant farmers as they had to pay land lease.  “Annadata Sukhibhava scheme with the aid of PM KISAN would surely help the farmers,”  Mr Seetharamaiah said.

They added that updating bank accounts was a big process but was a must for farmers to get agricultural schemes and hence the government should help the farmers by easing the accounts updation. Agriculture department officials responded that nodal officers were appointed in every Mandal to help farmers update bank accounts and Aadhaar numbers.

Minister for agriculture S. Chandramohan Reddy said that payments under Annadata Sukhibhava had begun to help farmers.

He added that Annadata would be provided to all beneficiaries in the State and asked the farmers to update their accounts to benefit from the scheme.