Hyderabad: The state government on Saturday resumed disbursement of Rythu Bandhu aid to farmers for the ongoing rabi season. Officials said that nearly 16 lakh farmers, owning one to two acres, would be covered in this phase, after 21 lakh farmers owning up to one acre were covered in the first phase last December.
Upon assuming office on December 7, 2023, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had directed the finance department to start transferring Rythu Bandhu amount of Rs 5,000 per acre to accounts of farmers on December 11.
Farmers started receiving the amount on December 12. Due to financial constraints, it took 20 days to cover 21 lakh farmers owning up to one acre.
The government planned to disburse the second phase of Rythu Bandhu from January 2, for those owning up to two acres. However, the CM directed the finance department to pay salaries and pensions to employees and retired staff on January 5 in all districts in one go, contrary to the previous regime’s fragmented or phase-wise approach of paying salaries up to the fourth week.
As the phase-wise salaries were causing workers hardships, the Congress had promised to pay salaries and pensions on the first of every month in the run-up to the Assembly polls. Duly, the finance department mobilised nearly Rs 4,000 crore to pay salaries and pensions for staff and completed payments on January 5.
After the salaries were disbursed, the government immediately started disbursement of Rythu Bandhu from January 6 and directions were issued to the finance department to cover all 70 lakh farmers by the month-end.
During the last rabi season, the previous government started disbursement of Rythu Bandhu amount from December 28, 2022, and covered all 70 lakh farmers by January 31, 2023.
