A large number of even small and marginal landholding beneficiaries of Telangana government’s investment support scheme — Rythu Bandhu — are likely to miss the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PMKSN) bus with the Centre issuing more guidelines with a list of exclusions from the scheme.
Official sources in the State government said that under the new guidelines, all State and Central government employees and most of the pensioners, professionals like doctors, lawyers, chartered accountants, all those who paid Income Tax in the last assessment year, sitting and former legislators and members of Parliament, present and former mayors of municipal corporations and zilla parishads are among many who would not be covered by the PMKSN scheme even if they hold land up to 5 acres.
The PMKSN benefit of ₹6,000 per farmer (household) with landholding up to 5 acres would also be not given to all institutional landholders.
Holding posts
Farmer families in which one or more of its members belong to former and present holders of constitutional posts, former and present ministers/State ministers, former and present members of Lok Sabha, Rajya Sabha, State Legislative assemblies, State Legislative councils, former and present mayors of municipal corporations, former and present chairpersons of zilla parishads would be ineligible.
Further, all serving or retired officers and employees of Central and State government ministries, offices, departments and its field units, Central or State public sector enterprises (PSEs) as well as regular employees of the local bodies would also be ineligible for PMKSN. However, the multi-tasking staff, Class-IV and Group-D employees of the above would be eligible for the scheme.
The official sources stated that all superannuated and retired pensioners whose monthly pension is ₹10,000 or more, excluding multi-tasking staff, Class-IV and Group-D employees of the above, would not be eligible for the Centre’s scheme.
Income Tax payers
All persons who paid Income Tax in last assessment year, professionals like doctors, engineers, lawyers would also be not extended the ₹6,000 per year benefit even if they hold land up to 5 acres.
For the purpose of exclusion State/UT government has to certify the eligibility of the beneficiary based on the self-declaration by the beneficiaries. In case beneficiary is not available or does not reside in the village, State/UT governments may consider certification based on the declaration by other adult member of his/her family, the guidelines issued by the Centre stated.
Penal action
“In case of incorrect self-declaration, beneficiary shall be liable for recovery of transferred financial benefit and other penal actions as per law,” the guidelines make it clear.
The cut-off date for determination of eligibility of beneficiaries under the scheme is February 1 this year and no changes thereafter would be considered for eligibility of benefit under the scheme for the next 5 years. The first instalment would be for December 1, 2018 to March 31, 2019.