Farmer-friendly CM YS Jagan gifts tractors, harvesters

Guntur/ Palnadu: Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy hopped on to a tractor and drove it for some time to declare his government as the most farmer-friendly government in the country while launching YSR Yantra Seva Scheme. He also flagged off the mega distribution of tractors and combine harvesters on Tuesday at Chuttugunta Centre in Guntur district.

Taking the opportunity to criticise the previous TDP regime, Jagan Mohan Reddy said that 3,800 tractors and 320 combined harvesters were being made available at Rythu Bharosa Centres (RBKs) across the state and asked the farmers to compare his government with the previous regime which had given them nothing.

As part of the initiative, he credited a subsidy of Rs 175 crore into 5,260 farmers' group bank accounts through direct benefit transfer to prove that the government was providing a 40 per cent subsidy while providing 50 per cent of the loans for purchase of machinery. The remaining 10 per cent would have to be paid by the farmers' groups.

Reiterating that the government was committed to farmers' welfare, he said that 10,750 RBKs were established to assist the farmer fraternity from seed to sale, and farm equipment like tractors, and harvesters was also made available. He said that 10,750 YSR Yantra Seva Centres would be set up at each RBK at a cost of Rs 2,016 crore and 1,615 harvesters would be made available at cluster level where the paddy cultivation was high.

Later, the Chief Minister inaugurated the Jindal Waste to Energy Plant in Kondaveedu of Palnadu district and unveiled the pylon installed and planted a sapling. Further, he unveiled a pylon of Jagananna Haritha Nagaralu in Kondaveedu. Ministers Thaneti Vanita, Peddireddy Ramachandra Reddy and Ambati Rambabu were present.