Rythu Bharosa after Sankranti, says CM Revanth Reddy

With an eye on local bodies’ elections, Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy has started appeasing the farming community by declaring that Rythu Bharosa would be extended after Sankranti and continuation of the Rs.500 bonus for fine rice varieties in the next season. He also claimed that the crop loan waiver scheme was “completed”.

The Cabinet sub-committee constituted on Rythu Bharosa would be submitting its report and recommending modalities. The same would be discussed in the next assembly session and opinion would be sought on how to go about it, Revanth Reddy said at a press conference here on Sunday.

Accusing the BRS government of failing to implement the crop loan waiver, he claimed the Congress government had completed 100 per cent of the crop loan waiver of up to Rs.2 lakh, including for those who did not posses white ration cards. Crop loans of Rs.2 lakh secured from December 12, 2018 to December 9, 2023 have been



waived, he said, adding that a few were not considered due to human errors and would be considered.

“Crop loans of 25.35 lakh farmers have been completed with Rs.21,000 crore,” Revanth Reddy said, also defending the slashing of crop loan estimates from Rs.31,000 crore to Rs.20,616 crore by saying that bankers had included several long term loans, which were raised before 2018 as well.

The Chief Minister also appealed to the farmers to cultivate fine rice varieties, especially Telangana Sona, BPT and HMT in the next season. Scientists informed that these three varieties yield high production and were also consumed highly in the State, he said, also promising to purchase all stocks offering Rs.500 bonus per quintal in the next season. After procuring the stocks, the government would supply the fine rice varieties to people through ration shops and to SC/ ST/ Minorities residential schools rather supplying to FCI, he said.