Many Maharashtra farmers getting Rythu Bandhu and Bheema in bordering villages

ADILABAD: Several Maharashtra farmers are getting Telangana's Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bheema benefits for their lands in the villages in the border regions of Telangana and they have become ‘models’ in Maharashtra for the expansion of the BRS.

These beneficiaries of the Telangana welfare schemes can now showcase these to the other farmers of Maharashtra at the precise time when the BRS is making serious efforts to expand the new ‘national party’ into that state.

A deceased farmer’s family recently got Rs 5 lakh under Rythu Bheema. Sainath, husband of a woman farmer (as a nominee) got Rs 5 lakh ex gratia under Rythu Bheema after the wife died recently of ill-health. Sainath is a native of Rati village in Bhokar taluka of Maharashtra.

Some farmers of Rati village who had lands in the bordering villages, in Thanur mandal of Telangana, are getting Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bheema.

The BRS leaders are putting them in the forefront as ‘model’ farmers already getting the benefits of Telangana’s welfare schemes for their lands in the bordering Thanur mandal in Nirmal district of Telangana. 

BRS leaders are currently focusing on induction of the sarpanches from Maharashtra into the BRS. These leaders think they would get a foothold in the Maharashtra villages in order to strengthen the new party from the grassroots.

According to sources, 50 sitting sarpanches from Dharmabad area and 100 locally influential leaders from various villages from the Kinwat, Shivuni, Himayathnagar, Kini, Apparaopet and Bhokar areas are likely to join the BRS in the presence of KCR at the Nanded meeting.

Forest and endowment minister Allola Indrakaran Reddy admitted that some of the Maharashtra farmers were getting Telangana government’s welfare schemes such as Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bheema. He said this would help in the expansion of the BRS to Maharashtra.

BRS leader and former Adilabad Zilla Parishad chairman Lolam Shyamsunder said nearly 25 farmers of Rati village purchased agricultural lands and some Maharashtra farmers already had land in Telangana’s bordering villages.

He said the matter came to light during BRS leaders’ interaction with the local farmers on Thursday. Rati village is 3km away from Bheltharoda,  the last village in Thanur mandal of the Nirmal district of Telangana.