Rythu Bharosa only for active farmers

Hyderabad: The Government of   is finalising the modalities of its ambitious scheme ‘Rythu Bharosa’ which will be rolled out from Sankranti festival in January.

The first beneficiaries, according to sources, will be active farmers who are physically engaged in agricultural operations in their farmlands during the ensuing Rabi season. It is estimated that the phase 1 Rythu Bharosa would cost the Government Rs 7,500 crore. The government has started mobilising the required funds so that the first payment can be released during Sankranti. So far it is learnt to have mopped up Rs 5,000 crore. It is now certain that all farmers will not be eligible for Rythu Bharosa. The Government would put a cap on the list of beneficiaries based on their income from agriculture, extent of land they own, quality of the land and availability of irrigation facilities. Active farmers with small holdings up to five acres will be included in the first list of beneficiaries. Under the previous Rythu Bandhu scheme, the total number of farmers who owned land up to 5 acres was 64.75 lakh. Among them 24.24 lakh farmers owned below one acre of land, and 17.72 lakh farmers possessed two acres, 11.30 lakh farmers were having three acres, 6.54 lakh peasants were cultivating four acres and 4.92 lakh farmers had five acres. 

The government estimates that it would require Rs 8,300 crore to provide the scheme benefit of Rs 7,500 per acre. “Most of the farmers who do not cultivate their land were availing the scheme benefit so far. Now, the government wants to streamline the scheme by extending the benefit to only the active farmers,” officials told Hans India.

The State Agriculture department will take up a survey to identify the active farmers in the ensuing farming season. The data collected at the field level will be utilised to identify the beneficiaries and utilise the available funds judiciously.

“The new system will help to extend the scheme’s benefits to hard working farmers. The government is waiting for the recommendations of the Cabinet Sub-Committee headed by Deputy Chief Minister Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka. The sub-committee has hinted that farmers who own agricultural land above 10 acres of dryland would be removed from the beneficiaries list,” according to officials.