HYDERABAD: In what is being seen as an interesting coincidence, the State government has released Rs 5,100 crore to be disbursed among farmers under the Rythu Bandhu scheme for Rabi season, ahead of the municipal elections scheduled to be held on January 22.
The sudden windfall from the government might help shore up the prospects of the TRS as more than 40 per cent of people in Telangana live in small towns that are going to polls on Wednesday. A large chunk of farmers live in small towns and they would stand to benefit from the sudden shower of pre-poll generosity.
In fact, the TRS leaders, while campaigning for the municipal elections, had listed out several welfare measures initiated by the State government for the welfare of the people, including the Rythu Bandhu, which proposes to pay farmers Rs 5,000 per acre per crop.
The TRS is in a win-win situation since the model code of conduct too is not applicable to the release of Rythu Bandhu largesse as elections are to be held for Urban Local Bodies and not panchayats. But, many farmers live in ULBs too, who would stand to benefit from the unexpected munificence of the government.
Government sources argue that the release of money is not in violation of the code of conduct as Rythu Bandhu is an ongoing programme and that the release of funds is sheer coincidence.
According to orders issued by principal secretary Agriculture C Parthasarathi, the State government accorded administrative sanction for an amount of Rs 5,100 crore while the total amount allocated in the 2019-20 State Budget for Kharif and Rabi Rythu Bandhu is Rs 12,862.5 crore.
Out of which, the State disbursed Rs 6,862.5 crore during Kharif. Now, the government accorded administrative sanction for Rs 5,100 for Rabi season. The balance amount is Rs 900 crore.