The government would continue the payout of Rytu Bandhu, an investment support scheme for farmers, at enhanced rates in the coming kharif in electronic mode unlike by cheques in the same season last year.
The government had sent money to the beneficiaries through banks in rabi on the directions of the Election Commission to avoid a public display of the scheme. The government was also barred from publicising the scheme.
The same would be continued in this kharif as it is hassle-free and saves time, money and energy. Moreover, several logistics issues with bankers would be solved, said Principal Secretary, Agriculture, C. Parthasarathi.
He expected the payments, enhanced from ₹4,000 per acre per season to ₹5,000 per acre per season in tune with the election promise of the TRS, to be rolled out in May-end or June first week. About 44 lakh farmers have been targeted to benefit and there have been no changes in the guidelines as of now, he added. The government had paid ₹4,000 per acre to farmers in kharif last year by cheque to ensure that the banks did not debit the amount to pay off outstanding loans, something common with the Centre’s crop insurance scheme -- Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. Farmers could encash the cheques at any bank branch. But, the Election Commission did not want the TRS to walk away with the credit in rabi from October as the elections to the State Assembly were just two months away. However, the farmers were allowed to get the money credited to their non-loan accounts.
The government had paid ₹5,260.94 crore to 51.50 lakh farmers in kharif and ₹5,244.26 crore to 49.03 lakh farmers in rabi last year. In the ensuing kharif, it has budgeted ₹7,000 crore to 44 lakh farmers providing for 25% increase per acre (up from ₹4,000 to ₹5,000). The decrease in beneficiaries owed to updated land records, Mr. Parthasarathi said.
He added that all the eligible farmers were paid last year though there were operational issues that delayed payments during rabi.