Defer Rythu Bharosa payments until after polls in Telangana: EC

Hyderabad: The Election Commission of India (ECI) on Tuesday ordered the state government to stop the disbursement of financial assistance to farmers under the Rythu Bharosa (erstwhile Rythu Bandhu) scheme.

The ECI said the disbursement of balance instalments for Rabi season 2023 should be made only after the polling day of May 13. The poll panel was responding to a complaint given by one N. Venu Kumar.

The state government has paid the benefit to farmers having less than five acres of land. Following the criticism that the Congress government had failed to implement the previous government’s flagship programme, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy recently announced that the remaining farmers would be paid before May 9. Accordingly, the state government started disbursing the amount from Monday.

The ECI in a letter to the Telangana Chief Electoral Officer (CEO) said that the Chief Minister publicly speaking about ensuring disbursement under the Rythu Bharosa scheme on or before May 9, was a violation and it has also been reported in the media.

During the recent Jana Jatara Sabha in Kothagudem, Revanth Reddy had said that Rythu Bharosa disbursement would be completed by May 9.

The ECI in a statement said that the Rabi installment of Rythu Bandhu assistance was disbursed by the state government between the period October-January in the last five years. However, there was neither any fixed date for disbursement nor any special significance or mention of disbursement in May.

Similar orders were issued during the Telangana Assembly elections held in 2023 for the same scheme following the violation by former BRS minister T. Harish Rao.

The ECI also warned political parties that attempts to politicise or exploit such government schemes for electoral gain will be dealt with firmly to uphold the sanctity of the democratic process.