NELLORE: Reiterating that the welfare of farmers remains his government’s priority, Chief Minister YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday said his government will provide nine-hour power supply to agriculture in the morning time across the state by July next year. Already, 60 per cent of villages being provided with nine hours free power, he said and added the government will spend Rs 1,700 crore to cover the remaining feeders. Jagan Mohan Reddy, who had launched YSR Rythu Bharosa - PM Kisan financial assistance scheme to farmers in Nellore, also said unlike previous TDP government which benefitted contractors in the name of irrigation projects, his government will complete all the pending irrigation projects in the State.
Launching the flagship programme on the eve of World Food Day, Jagan Mohan Reddy played the visuals of the YSRC’s plenary way back in July 2017 where he announced the scheme, and said he had stood by his promise by depositing the investment support amount to farmers directly to their bank accounts.
“In the plenary held on July 8, 2017, I announced that `50,000 would be given to farmers as investment support in the month of May as Rythu Bharosa and during the 3,648 km padayatra and the subsequent brainstorming with Farmers’ Associations and others, it was improvised further and the quantum of the package was increased to `67,500 and is being paid eight months in advance,’’ Jagan said adding that a farmer will get an additional `17,500 benefit with the enhanced assistance and also by implementing it eight months in advance.
The scheme will benefit 54 lakh farmers, including tenant farmers, and the amount to be paid is split into `4,000 ahead of rabi in October, ` 7,500 before Kharif and `2,000 during Sankranti festival. “The survey done during the previous government was faulty and has recorded 43 lakh farmers. We have screened the data and arrived at the figure of 54 lakh farmer families and the number might go further as the process is still counting,’’ Jagan said. Eligible farmers, including tenant farmers, can register and claim the benefit till November 15.
On the promise to provide nine-hour free power supply to farmers, Jagan said nearly 60 percent of areas the feeders are good while in the remaining 40 percent there is a need for repairs. “Nine hour power supply is being provided in 60 percent villages and `1,700 crores are sanctioned to upgrade the feeders and by July all farmers will be getting nine-hour free power supply,’’ he assured.
Jagan, on the aspect of Jalayagnam, said that his government will complete all the pending irrigation projects at the earliest unlike the previous government which used the construction of projects to mint money from contractors. Besides Rythu Bharosa cheques, the Chief Minister had also given a cheque towards ex gratia for loss of livestock amounting `8,25,000.
Agriculture minister K Kanna Babu, Home minister M Sucharitha, Irrigation minister Dr P Anil Kumar Yadav, IT Minister M Goutham Reddy, TTD Board Chairman Y V Subba Reddy, Nellore MP Adala Prabhakar Reddy, District Collector M V Seshagiri Babu and others were also present.