Hyderabad, March 22 (IANS) The government of Telangana has allocated Rs 9,000 crore under Rythu Bharosa scheme to provide financial assistance to farmers for cultivation on 1.50 acres.

Chief Minister A. Revanth Reddy on Sunday released first instalment of Rs 3,590 crore at a public meeting held at Narmeta in Siddipet district.

With Sunday being a holiday, the amount will be credited in the bank accounts of farmers on Monday.

He announced that second instalment of Rs 2,650 crore will be released within the next 20 days while the remaining Rs 2,760 crore will be released in the next 20 days.

Under the scheme, the state government provides Rs 12,000 annually as input subsidy to farmers for every acre. The scheme benefits 70 lakh farmers.

The Chief Minister stated that despite the financial problems, the government is continuing welfare schemes for farmers.

He said during the previous regime, Rs 2,533 crore was spent every month for farmer welfare but in the 28 months of the Congress government, Rs 5,500 crore were spent every month.

CM Revanth Reddy said that the government wants to see happiness in the eyes of farmers by implementing welfare schemes including remunerative price for the agricultural produce.

He remarked no state where farmers cry can prosper.

He said the government was also providing compensation to farmers who have suffered crop losses.

“The people’s government has so far spent over Rs 1 lakh crore on farmers’ welfare within just two years,” he said.

The Chief Minister revealed that Telangana has emerged as the number one state in the country in terms of paddy production.

He noted that this season, the government procured 71 lakh tonnes of paddy. He, however, lamented that the Central government is not procuring anything beyond 50 lakh tonnes.

Emphasising the need for transformation in agriculture, he said farmers need to adopt crop diversification.

He recalled that in the past, different regions used to cultivate various types of crops specific to their locality.

“There is a need to encourage farmers to cultivate not just paddy, but a diverse range of crops. Plans necessary to facilitate this must be formulated,” he said.

Revanth Reddy said with the support of the Central government, the state government will ensure that the crops cultivated by farmers become profitable.

–IANS

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