HYDERABAD: The previous BRS government paid Rythu Bandhu money amounting to nearly Rs 6,000 crore per year (kharif and rabi) on an average for land which was not under cultivation. In the last six years since Rythu Bandhu was introduced in 2018, the state exchequer has lost nearly Rs 30,000 crore by paying money for land which were not used for farming.
In the previous kharif season (June-September 2023), the BRS government paid Rythu Bandhu to farmers for 1.52 crore acres but cultivation was carried out on 1.26 crore acres.
In the previous rabi (October-January) season, the BRS government paid Rythu Bandhu for 1.52 crore acres. Cultivation was done in a meagre 66.30 lakh acres, while 85.7 lakh acres remained unutilised for agriculture.
Both the crop seasons put together, Rythu Bandhu was paid to 1.12 crore acres where no cultivation was carried out, resulting in wastage of thousands of crores of rupees, according to the joint survey conducted by agriculture and revenue departments.
The survey found that Rythu Bandhu was extended to land parcels which were converted into real estate ventures and being used for commercial and other non-agricultural purposes.
The Congress government which has decided to extend Rythu Bharosa of Rs 15,000 per acre per year in the place of Rs 10,000 Rythu Bandhu, from the upcoming kharif season beginning June, has launched a special drive to identify uncultivable lands to check wastage of public money.
Official sources said that the state government will place the findings of this joint survey in the upcoming Legislative Assembly session in July and hold a comprehensive debate on what measures should be taken to prevent misuse of funds under the Rythu Bharosa scheme.
The government will take feedback from all political parties on who should get the Rythu Bharosa benefit and whether there should be an upper cap on land holding like up to five acres or 10 acres to avail the benefit.
During an informal conversation with mediapersons at his residence last week, Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy had also made it clear that the state government would not take unilateral decisions on Rythu Bharosa and it will go ahead on this issue after consulting all opposition parties and after holding a debate in the Assembly.
He said the Congress government will check misuse of Rythu Bharosa funds and will not extend the benefit to those lands which are not under cultivation, adding that the BRS government had extended Rythu Bandhu to lands where real estate and other commercial ventures have come up, barren lands and hillock areas resulting in huge loss to state exchequer.
In the last six years since Rythu Bandhu was introduced in 2018, the BRS government paid Rs 72,815 crore to farmers.
As per Dharani land records, 69 lakh farmers holding 1.52 crore acres are eligible for Rythu Bandhu. If the Congress government implements Rythu Bharosa of Rs 15,000 per acre per year for the same extent of land, it would require nearly RS 22,800 crore per year. The BRS government spent a little over Rs 15,000 crore per year for extending RS 10,000 per acre per year for Rythu Bandhu.
The Congress government believes that if uncultivable land and those owning over 10 acres and those paying income-tax are excluded from Rythu Bharosa, it could easily save Rs 10,000 per acre every year which it wants to divert to tenant farmers and agricultural labourers.
The Congress, in its manifesto for Assembly polls had promised to give `15,000 per year to tenant farmers and Rs 12,000 per year to agricultural labourers.
