Telangana Cabinet to Discuss HYDRAA Legal Status, Loan Waiver

Hyderabad: An ordinance to provide legal status to HYDRAA, extend crop loan waiver to those who have borrowed more than Rs.2 lakh and guidelines to implement Rythu Bharosa as well as BC enumeration for local bodies elections are expected to be on the agenda of the Cabinet, which will meet here at 4 pm on September 20 under the chairmanship of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy.

The government had constituted the Hyderabad Disaster Response and Assets Monitoring and Protection Agency (HYDRAA) via an executive order (GO99) to clear lake encroachments. With questions being raised over the legal status of HYDRAA, including in the High Court, the government decided to issue an ordinance to formally legalise HYDRAA. This ordinance will be in force until the Legislature approves the Act.

Additionally, the Cabinet will deliberate on extending the state’s loan waiver scheme to farmers who have borrowed more than Rs.2 lakh. This decision could provide relief to farmers who were previously excluded from the waiver.

On agricultural matters, the Cabinet will focus on replacing the Rythu Bandhu scheme with Rythu Bharosa, a new initiative aimed at providing broader support to farmers. The final roadmap for its implementation is expected to be laid out at the Cabinet meeting.

The guidelines are aimed at excluding non-farm land from the scheme and extend the benefit to agriculture land where cultivation is taking place. The Congress had announced that it would extend Rs.15,000 per acre per year under Rythu Bharosa, against Rs.10,000 per acre offered under Rythu the Bandhu. It is expected that the Congress government will cap the benefit at 10 acres.

The Cabinet meeting will also address the upcoming enumeration of Backward Classes communities, which is crucial for local body elections. Guidelines for this process will be outlined, ensuring a fair and accurate survey of the BC communities.

Another major item includes reforms in ration card distribution to enhance transparency, as well as a discussion on expanding health card services to ensure better healthcare access for the public.

A resolution seeking assistance from the Centre government for the recent flood damage will also be prepared. The Cabinet is expected to send a formal request to the Centre for flood relief funds to help recover from the devastation caused by heavy rains.

The Cabinet is expected to take a decision on forming 200 new gram panchayats and a new crop insurance scheme for farmers under which the state government will pay premium amount to insurance companies on behalf of farmers.