AP govt blows Rythu Bharosa's success trumpet

Allagadda (Nandyal district): Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Monday said the TDP regime spent Rs 685 crore towards zero interest-based loans for farmers in its five-year regime while the YSRC government so far spent Rs 1282 crore for the same.

He said this while addressing a public meeting organised in connection with the release of Rs 2096 crore towards the second tranche of financial assistance to farmers under the YSR Rythu Bharosa-PM Kisan Scheme by pressing the button to benefit 50.92 lakh farmers across the State.

He said during the YSRCP regime so far, 44.28 lakh farmers received Rs 6,684 crore as crop insurance while only 30.85 lakh farmers received Rs 3,411 crore as crop insurance during the TDP regime.

On YSR Rythu Bharosa-PM Kisan Scheme, he said the assistance will be directly credited to the bank accounts of beneficiaries. He said already the first tranche of Rs 7,500 out of the total assistance of Rs 13,500 to each farmer was disbursed in May this year.

In the second installment amounting to Rs 2096.04 crore was released on Monday, each beneficiary will get Rs 4,000 for Kharif harvests and Rabi sowing. The last installment of Rs 2000 each will be released ahead of Sankranti festival in January next.

Reiterating the government's commitment for the welfare of farmers, he said the State has been spending Rs 7,000 crore every year under the scheme for the benefit of more than 50 lakh farmers. With the latest disbursement, the government has so far incurred Rs 25,971.33 crore under the welfare scheme. This is the fourth consecutive year of the Rythu Bharosa Scheme being implemented. The scheme is being implemented not only for the agricultural land owners but also for tenant farmers.

Reddy said the YSRCP government has so far spent a whopping Rs 1,33,526.92 crore for the benefit of farmers under various welfare schemes such as Rythu Bharosa Kendras, e-cropping, free crop insurance, input subsidy, free nine-hour supply of power, mechanisation and Minimum Support Price.

After YSRCP came to power, farmer families received Rs 51,000 each under various welfare schemes.

The Chief Minister said the Almighty has been blessing the State with good rainfall every year after the YSRCP came to power and there was no need to declare even a single mandal in the State as drought-affected compared to the previous TDP regime which declared several mandals as drought affected every year.

While the foodgrain production in the TDP regime stood at 154 lakh tonnes, the State achieved a record of 167.24 lakh tonnes of foodgrains after the YSRCP came to power.

While Chandrababu neglected farmers' welfare by running only 12 labs to check spurious seeds, fertilisers and pesticides, YSRCP government has established 147 such labs out of which 70 labs are operational, he said, adding that TDP government failed to pay Rs 2,558 crore input subsidy to farmers while the YSRCP government so far disbursed Rs 1800 crore input subsidy for 20.85 lakh farmers.

The CM said that all welfare schemes, intended for farmers in the State such as e-cropping, input subsidy, crop insurance, soil testing and many others are being implemented impartially for all with the support of Rythu Bharosa Kendras.

Not even a single farmer's family is found without receiving financial aid in case of suicides, he said.

In response to the appeal of the Allagadda MLA Gangula Brijendra Reddy (Nani), the CM sanctioned an amount of Rs 97 crore for development works in the constituency.

The funds will be used for construction of two highway bridges, completion of sports stadium, roads and for the degree college. Additionally, a 220 KV sub-station was also sanctioned for the Allagadda Municipality.

While Chandrababu Naidu neglected farmers' welfare by running only 12 labs to check spurious seeds, fertilisers and pesticides, YSRC government has established 147 such labs

- YS Jagan Mohan Reddy, Chief Minister, AP