Hyderabad: Just six days ahead of polling in Telangana, the Election Commission of India (ECI) on Friday gave clearance to the state government to disburse amounts to farmers under the Rythu Bandhu scheme.
Farmers get Rs 5,000 per acre for rabi (yasangi), which means that 70 lakh farmers would get Rs 7,500 crore overall.
ECI officials said disbursement of Rythu Bandhu assistance for yasangi would begin on Friday in compliance with the conditions laid down in the ECI's direction.
The commission said that the direct benefit transfer under the scheme would not be affected even on the day of elections.
It should be recalled that the disbursement of Rythu Bandhu aid days before the December 7 polls in 2018 fetched handsome electoral returns to the BRS.
Meanwhile, the Andhra Pradesh government has declared a paid holiday to employees who are voters in Telangana state and those working in neighbouring districts of Eluru, NTR, Palnadu, Kurnool, Nandyala and Alluri Sitharamaraju.
