Hyderabad: Shutting the mouths of its political opponents, the Congress government has on Friday declared that Rythu Bandhu financial aid has been paid to 92.68 per cent of farmers in the state.Up to March 28, 64.75 lakh farmers have benefited from the scheme. Rs 5,575 crore have been paid to farmers in the Yasangi season. Interestingly, landowners with less than five acres have got full payment under the Rythu Bandhu scheme. According to the agriculture department, 64,75,320 farmers have received financial aid under the Rythu Bandhu scheme for the ensuing Yasangi (Rabi) season.As per the assurance of Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy, Congress government has paid Rythu Bandhu aid to 80 per cent of farmers within 100 days of Congress coming to power. Initially, below one-acre land owners got aid. Later, aid got extended to two, three and four-acre land owners. Finally, farmers owning below five acres of land also received Rs 6,000 per acre financial aid.Revanth Reddy has made it clear that Rythu Bandhu financial aid will not be paid to owners of barren lands and real estate venture lands. He has also directed the agriculture department to draft an action plan to ensure that Rythu Bandhu scheme is properly utilised. He cautioned against misuse of government funds by persons ineligible under the Rythu Bandhu scheme.Incidentally, Congress government is committed to revamping the Rythu Bandhu scheme as Rythu Bharosa scheme soon.Agriculture minister Tummala Nageshwar Rao on Friday criticised that previous BRS government of undermining finances of the Telangana government. He underlined that the Congress government had sanctioned Rythu Bandhu scheme to all the eligible farmers to protect their interests.Nageshwar Rao pointed out that during natural calamities, BRS leaders had ignored the farmers. “But the Congress government is committed to pay Rs 10,000 as compensation for crop damaged due to hailstorms and untimely rains,” the minister assured.
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