CM KCR to launch Rythu Bandhu scheme in Karimnagar today

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao launches the Rythu Bandhu scheme, on Thursday, in Karimnagar today when 71 per cent of farmers in Telangana State will get cheques worth less than Rs 10,000 each.  

The first-of-its-kind scheme in the country will provide Rs 8,000 per acre per year to farmers in the state. 

The distribution of tamper-proof electronic pattadar passbooks to all land owners will also be launched on the occasion. The distribution programme will go on from May 10 to 17 in all districts barring Hyderabad.

A total of 57.40 lakh farmers have been identified for Rythu Bandhu benefit, of whom 40.92 lakh farmers (71 per cent) own between one gunta and 2.5 acres each, and will get cheques worth Rs 100 to Rs 10,000 each.

One acre comprises 40 guntas and each gunta is entitled for Rs 100 benefit. Only 6,488 farmers in the state will get cheques worth over Rs 1 lakh each as they own land in excess of 25 acres each.

The survey by the revenue department revealed that 40,92,124 farmers own land measuring bet-ween one gunta and 2.5 acres, 11,02,813 own 2.5 to 5 acres, 44,40,068 farmers own 5 to 10 acres, 94,551 farmers own 10 to 15 acres, and 6,488 farmers own 25 acres and above.

The big farmers holding 25 acres and more are in districts surrounding Hyderabad, the highest



numbers being in Sangareddy (644 farmers) followed by Ranga Reddy (637), Nalgonda (575), Mahbubnagar (562) and Bhongir (369).

The revenue department has verified a total of 2,38,28,180 acres of land existing in 72,09,694 land accounts across the state to identify the beneficiaries.It was found that 16,53,421 acres of land in 4,22,466 accounts are stu-ck in various disputes. Officials found land over an extent of 2,21,65,130 acres in 67,87,228 accounts dispute-free with clear title. Of them, 80,66,644 acres in 10,54,203 accounts were found to be unfit for agriculture. As a result, the government has decided to extend Rs 4,000 per acre benefit to the remaining 1,40,98,486 acres in 57,33,025 accounts.

The revenue departme-nt placed orders for prin-ting of 57,33,025 e-pattadar passbooks for distribution, but only 49,93,619 passbooks have been printed taking into consideration Aadhaar seeding and other problems.

There is a backlog of 7.39,406 passbooks which will be printed and distributed later. The Aadhaar seeding is yet to be done in the case of 4,36,674 land accounts.

Despite repeated reminders the owners of these lands failed to submit Aadhaar details. The government will inquire whether these are benami lands or there are other reasons for such owners not coming forward for Aadhaar linkage.