Hyderabad: Over 13 lakh farmers across Telangana owning more than five acres each are awaiting the Rythu Bandhu aid from the state government, which is currently facing a shortage of funds for the scheme, according to official sources.
Already faced with a fund crunch for regular use, the government is learnt to have asked the finance department to give priority to paying salaries and pensions for employees and pensioners for the month of July. As of now, employees working in Hyderabad and Rangareddy districts have received their salaries.
With July entering its third week, there is pressure from employees of other districts for salaries and pensions, forcing the finance department to channelise available funds towards the same.
For this season, the government has to disburse Rs 7,720.29 crore to 70 lakh farmers. It has disbursed Rs 4,377.42 crore till June 30, while disbursal of Rs 3,242.87 crore is pending. The direct account credit of Rythu Bandhu aid, of Rs 5,000 per acre, for the ongoing kharif season started on June 26.
So far, about 57 lakh farmers owning fewer than five acres each received the amount till June 30, following which the scheme was halted.
While the state government did not cite a reason for not crediting Rythu Bandhu to farmers owning above five acres, official sources said that the finance department failed to adjust the funds for the schemes due to the fund crunch.
Since the Covid-19-induced financial crisis of 2020, the state government is giving priority to farmers owning fewer than five acres for the Rythu Bandhu. The government is later giving priority to farmers owning between 5 and 10 acres, while farmers owning above 10 acres are generally made to wait for one or two months. There are also instances of farmers in the latter category not receiving Rythu Bandhu in several districts.
Before the Covid-19 crisis, all farmers, irrespective of the extent of land holdings, were given Rythu Bandhu at a go. But at present, the government is forced to impose ‘undeclared restrictions’ on big farmers due to the fund crunch.
70 lakh farmers eligible for Rythu Bandhu
Rs 7,720.29 crore required in total
On June 26, Rs 642.52 crore disbursed to 22,55,081 farmers
On June 27, Rs 1,278.60 crore disbursed to 16,98,957 farmers
On June 28, Rs 1,325.24 crore disbursed to 10.89 lakh farmers
On June 30, Rs 1,131 crore paid to 6,64,717 farmers
Rs 4,377.42 crore distributed in total to 57 lakh farmers, all owning fewer than 5 acres
Rs 3,242 crore to 13 lakh big farmers pending
