All states looking up to Telangana's Farmer-friendly policies: Harish Rao

HYDERABAD: The ruling BRS has said that the successful implementation of Rythu Bandhu programme has shown that the farmer-friendly policies being implemented by the state government will pave the way for the party’s national ambitions with its ‘ab ki baar kisan sarkar’ slogan.

Finance and health minister T. Harish Rao, marking five years of the scheme, said that Telangana, through Rythu Bandhu, has emerged as a role-model for farmers’ welfare in the country.

“This is the reason why Chief Minister K Chandrashekar Rao’s farmer-friendly programmes and policies are making the entire nation look up to Telangana, in every sphere of activity,” Harish Rao said in a tweet.

Agriculture minister S .Niranjan Reddy, celebrating the milestone with farmers in Pebbair of Wanaparthy Assembly constituency, said that it was only Chandrashekar Rao who had recognized the needs of farmers and had implemented programmes designed for their overall well-being.

So far, the state government has deposited Rs 65,000 crore in ten installments in bank accounts of farmers. In this rabi crop season, around 63.97 lakh farmers covering 144.35 lakh acres, had received Rs 7217.54 crore as Rythu Bandhu assistance.

“The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) had in 2018 recognized the scheme as one among the top 20 programmes for farmers in the world,” he said.

Supply of free power for agriculture connections, providing Rythu Bima life insurance cover and farm loan waiver have combined to boost the morale of farmers in the state, Reddy said.