VIJAYAWADA: The stage is set for the launch of the YSR Rythu Bharosa by YS Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday at Sarvepalle in Nellore district. Under the scheme, one of the pre-poll promises of Jagan during his election campaign, each farmer will get financial assistance of Rs 12,500 per year.
On Sunday, the government issued a GO releasing Rs 5,510 crore for the scheme. The amount will be deposited in the bank accounts of beneficiaries opened by RTGS to facilitate Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) through AEPS (Aadhar Enabled Payment System). This will ensure transfer of the total amount to farmers without giving scope for banks to deduct outstanding loan dues.
According to reliable sources, Jagan Mohan Reddy may spring a surprise by announcing enhanced financial assistance over and above the promised amount under the scheme.
Meanwhile, Agriculture Minister K Kanna Babu said, “October 15 will be a historic day in the State.’’ Addressing media in Kakinada on Sunday, he said that though Jagan promised to implement the scheme two years after coming to power, he decided to launch the scheme this year itself so farmers could reap immediate benefit. He made it clear that the Rs 12,500 per year also includes the Centre’s share of Rs 6,000 and the government is not hiding any facts. “We are unwavering in our commitment to implement the scheme unlike the previous TDP government, which diverted Central funds,’’ he said.
The TDP government had promised to waive Rs 84,000 crore farm loans before 2014 elections but brought down the same to Rs 24,000 crore. Finally, it had diverted Rs 15,000 crore meant for the purpose to other schemes, he alleged.
Kanna Babu added that the financial assistance will also be extended to tenant farmers, which was never done by any government. He also added that seven lakh more farmers have applied for the financial assistance under the scheme and the process of verification is going on.
The State government has already issued modalities for the scheme implementation and the list of beneficiaries will be displayed on notice boards at village secretariats to ensure transparency. YSR Rythu Bharosa was one of the Navaratnalu (nine schemes) that Jagan Mohan Reddy promised to implement if his party came to power. As part of the scheme, the government proposed to extend Rs 50,000 in four years (Rs 12,500 in May every year, starting 2020) to every farmer.
However, the government is implementing the scheme from this year itself. The Rs 12,500 aid includes Rs 6,000 per year component of the Centre’s PM Kisan scheme.