Bhatti panel seeks farmers’ feedback on rythu bandhu
Hyderabad: Farmers attending a public hearing in Khammam on Wednesday demanded that rythu bandhu be restricted to small and marginal farmers only.
A Cabinet sub-committee tasked with seeking the opinion of farmers on rythu bandhu held its first meeting on Wednesday. This was attended by Deputy CM Bhatti Vikramarka, agriculture minister Tummala Nageshwara Rao and revenue minister Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy.
This was the first of the 10 meets scheduled to be held across the state. Bhatti said opinions are being sought to avoid wastage of public money. He averred that a decision will be taken based on farmers’ feedback and the decision will be tabled in the Assembly.
While Tummala pointed out that the process has been taken up without any preconceived notions, Ponguleti stressed that people’s opinions are being sought unlike in the BRS regime.
While agreeing to the need for restricting rythu bharosa, farmers stressed that they need help in getting soil tests done to arrest
overuse of fertilizers. Most farmers felt the need for removing lands which have become real estate ventures and fallow lands.
A few opined that money saved from restricting the land should be used to help tenant farmers. This may be used for subsidizing agriculture implements along with promoting farm mechanization.
A lawyer who attended the programme said inputs like gypsum,
zinc, spare parts of tractors, drip irrigation facility, seeds on subsidy, crop insurance, zero percent interest loans and others which were stopped by BRS should start again.
A few sought removal of government employees who invariably pay income tax.
When a farmer expressed fear that many farmers file Income Tax returns to be able to avail bank loans for their children’s education, the agriculture minister allayed his fear, saying only those paying IT could be exempted.
Bonthu Rambabu from Telangana Rythu Sangham sought cancelling rythu bandhu and providing bonus to farmers on the crops cultivated.