Hyderabad: Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Sunday announced that the government would extend the Rythu Bharosa financial assistance before the start of every agricultural season, after Sankranti next year.
Speaking to mediapersons at his residence, along with several Cabinet colleagues, the Chief Minister said the Winter Session of the Assembly would discuss and finalise the modalities for the scheme.
“Farmers will get their Bharosa amount in their bank accounts after Sankranti. Like in case of every Soniamma guarantee (poll promises made by Congress), this too will be fulfilled by our Indiramma Prabhutvam,” he said.
Revanth Reddy said the waiving of `20,000 crore farm loans within a short period, which is unprecedented in Independent India, paying a bonus of `500 per quintal for fine variety of paddy and extending Rythu Bharosa were a continuation of the Congress' commitment to farmers' welfare since the Nehruvian era.
He cited the green revolution, massive irrigation projects, free power to farm sector and NREGS as some of the pro-farmer initiatives of Congress.
"When free power to the farm sector was launched in 2004, then Chief Minister Dr Y.S. Rajasekhar Reddy announced that the pro-farmer measures initiated by Congress would force other governments to continue the schemes," the Chief Minister said and stated that the bonus for fine variety paddy would go on forever.
He also reminded farmers of the infamous slogan of "vari veste vure" (farmers have to hang themselves due to lack of remunerative price if they cultivate paddy) of his predecessor K. Chandrashekar Rao, who Revanth Reddy said, did not set up adequate centres to procure paddy as a measure to discourage paddy cultivation.
Revanth Reddy also called upon farmers to grow Telangana Sona, BPT and HMT varieties of fine rice as they not only have higher yields but are widely consumed in Telangana. The government also distribute these varieties through the PDS, which would help avoid the cumbersome procedure of routing it through Food Corporation of India.
Besides, the fine varieties would be supplied in all the welfare hostels. Since their produce will be consumed in the motherland, farmers should give top priority to growing a quality product, Revanth Reddy said.
Ministers Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, Tummala Nageshara Rao, Damodar Rajanarsimha, Konda Surekha and Jupally Krishna Rao were present.
