Hyderabad: Citing former Prime Minister Jawaharlal Nehru, Finance Minister Bhatti Vikramarka showed his generosity towards agriculture and farmers as he earmarked a whopping Rs 49,383 crore for the sector in the 2024-25 Budget, which is Rs 20,000 crore more than the previous Budget allocation of Rs 28,594 crore. This allocation is almost triple compared to the 2022-23 allocation of Rs 18,979 crore. Besides, the Congress government allocated Rs 1,980 crore to the Department of Animal Husbandry and Fisheries, taking the total allocation to the allied sectors to over Rs 50,000 crore. Speaking about the government’s commitment to farmers, Bhatti said: “Our Prime Minister Nehru once said that everything can wait, but not agriculture. Unlike the previous government, we are committed to implement the farm loan waiver in one go.” He said the government was systematically mobilising the required funds of Rs 31,000 crore for the loan waiver scheme. “On July 18, we transferred Rs 6,035 crore to the bank accounts of 11.34 lakh farmers for loan waiver.
The remaining loans of farmers up to Rs 2 lakh will also be waived soon,” he said. The minister said the guidelines for the Raithu Bharosa scheme were under the consideration of the sub-committee, adding: “The BRS government spent Rs 80,440 crore for Raithu Bandhu. The scheme was meant only for farmers. However, the amount was transferred to many ineligible persons.” Bhatti said the Congress government had increased the benefit under Raithu Bharosa to Rs 15,000 per acre. He said, “The Cabinet Sub-Committee has visited various districts and consulted farmers, experts and intellectuals. All the views expressed at various forums will be placed before the House for further discussion and seeking the opinion of members.” He reiterated the government’s commitment to assist the landless poor who are forced to work as farm labourers. Raiyats to get Rs 500 bonus, Rs 12,000 assistance and crop insurance After the Rs 2 lakh crop loan waiver, farmers are set to get several welfare schemes in the current fiscal year like Rs 500 bonus per quintal for good variety of rice, crop insurance scheme and financial assistance of Rs 12,000 per year to agricultural labourers. The previous BRS government failed to protect Telangana farmers by not releasing the required premium for crop insurance.
The present Congress government has decided to give the benefit of crop insurance to farmers by joining the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana from this year. Bhatti said, “We have decided to provide financial assistance of Rs 12,000 per year to agricultural labourers from this year itself. Also, the state government has decided to encourage cultivation of ‘sanna’ (fine) rice. We have identified 33 varieties of such rice and announced a bonus of Rs 500 per quintal for these varieties.” On Raithu Bharosa, the finance minister said guidelines for implementation would be framed soon. “Our approach is an example of how government policies should be framed in a transparent and consultative manner,” Bhatti said.
