‘Give it up’ option is voluntary for farmers

HYDERABAD:The "give it up" call to rich farmers not to avail the Rs 4,000 crop input assistance under Rythu Bandhu scheme is just voluntary and the government is not harping on this. Rythu Bandhu cheques will be distributed for one week across the state from May 10.

Chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao, himself a farmer, has decided not to accept the benefit.A couple of rich families from Nalgonda and some other district too announced that they were not taking Rythu Bandhu cheques. But, the response to the 'give it up' call is lukewarm.

"The government is not publicising the campaign. Had we given it wide publicity, the opposition would seize the opportunity and spread canards that the government has no funds for the scheme. That is why we are not giving much focus on 'give it up'. We will give a form to farmers during the distribution of cheques. If any rich farmer is willing to give up government aid, he should fill up the form," an official said, adding that they would not force any farmer to give up the aid.

Meanwhile, the government has decided to extend the Rythu Bandhu scheme to Agency areas and Recognition of Forest Rights (RoFR). According to the orders issued on Monday by agriculture principal secretary C Parthasarathi, 93,494 individual claimants had the RoFR title certificates. In addition, many cases are under consideration by the appropriate authority. The matter of providing Rs 4,000 per acre each season to RoFR title holders was examined and it was decided to extend the Investment Support Scheme to RoFR title holders. All the beneficiaries shall be identified by the district collectors concerned, according to the guidelines issued by the tribal welfare department, in consultation with the forest department. In addition, the same benefit shall also be extended to the entire population living in the Agency area, according to the orders.

‘Adopt poll model while distributing cheques’

Adopt the poll model during the distribution of the Rythu Bandhu cheques, said Farmers’ Coordination Committee chairman and MP Gutha Sukender Reddy while addressing a special meeting in Sangareddy on Monday. The meet was aimed at creating awareness among officials, public representatives of the erstwhile Medak district on the distribution of the Rythu Bandhu cheques. The distribution of the Rythu Bandhu cheques begins from May 10