VIJAYAWADA: The State government credited financial assistance of Rs 5,500 each into the farmers’ accounts under the YSR Rythu Bharosa - PM Kisan scheme on Monday. Disbursing the amount at a function held at Ganapavaram in Eluru, Chief Minister Jagan Mohan Reddy said the remaining central government component of Rs 2,000 would be credited by this month-end.
This is the first tranche of the scheme in the fourth year. A total of Rs 3,758 crore would be credited into the accounts of 50.10 lakh farmers as part of the scheme. While crediting the amount, the chief minister castigated the Opposition TDP for ignoring the farmers when it was in power, and indirectly criticised Jana Sena Party chief Pawan Kalyan for shedding “crocodile tears” over the farmers’ plight after remaining silent when TDP acted against their interests.
Saying that the Almighty had blessed Andhra with abundant rainfall during the past three years, Jagan said no mandals were declared drought-hit during the period. “The groundwater levels increased and all reservoirs were filled to the brim in these three years,’’ he pointed out.
The production of food grains, too, showed a marked increase during the three years, compared to N Chandrababu Naidu’s five-year tenure, the chief minister said. While the previous regime had ignored the families of farmers who had committed suicide, the present government has been committed to their welfare.
“While we are extending welfare measures to farmers in a transparent manner, the foster son of Chandrababu Naidu is touring the State, consoling the families of farmers who had ended their lives. Can he show one farmer with a pattadar passbook who had ended his life, and his family not provided the Rs 7 lakh financial aid,’’ Jagan asked.
Jagan added that for the first time the government was depositing the input subsidy amount into the farmers’ accounts for the damaged crops in the same season. He said that the government was paying the entire premium of farmers’ insurance, making Andhra Pradesh the only State to do so. “Rythu Bharosa Kendras are present in every village. Once a farmer enrols into e-crop, the crop would be insured automatically,’’ he said.
“The leader (Chandrababu Naidu) who opposed free power to farmers and said farming is unsustainable and under whose regime police opened fire in Basheerbagh, had claimed that he would waive off farm loans once he comes to power. Unfortunately, he had paid only Rs 15,000 crore as crop loan waiver,’’ Jagan said.He also lashed out at a section of media for not exposing the plight of farmers during the previous regime while shedding crocodile tears now.
On his government’s initiatives for the welfare of farmers, the Chief Minister said the government has been procuring agriculture products, ensuring the minimum support price. Also, the government has been supporting aqua farmers by giving power at a subsidised rate of Rs 1.50 per unit. “Our’s is the only government which gave Rs 2,403 crore subsidy to aqua farmers,’’ he said.
Mega energy project
Chief Minister Jagan will lay the stone for the world’s largest 5,230 MW Integrated Renewable Energy Storage Project undertaken by Greenko Group in Kurnool district on Tuesday