Harish Rao demands input subsidy and Rythu Bandhu Release for Hailstorm-affected farmers

LatestPoliticsTelangana
By HNH Web Desk
Harish Rao hailstorm-affected farmers

HYDERABAD: Former Minister and Siddipet MLA T. Harish Rao inspected crop fields in Rajgopalpet village of Nanganur mandal that were damaged by recent untimely rains and hailstorms.

Speaking on the occasion, Harish Rao said that farmers are in deep distress due to the hailstorm. He visited the affected fields, including those belonging to a farmer named Ragula Balayya and his wife Balamma, who own three acres and are burdened with a loan of over ₹2 lakh that remains unpaid due to lack of loan waiver.

He stated that farmers are upset over not receiving Rythu Bandhu and the promised loan waiver. “In the Assembly, the Congress government made grand promises — that they would implement crop insurance, increase Rythu Bandhu to ₹15,000, and waive loans up to ₹2 lakh,” he reminded.

However, he said Rythu Bandhu for the Kharif season was skipped entirely, and only half of the Rabi season disbursements were made — even those were incomplete. “During KCR’s time, all farmers received Rythu Bandhu funds. The current government is rejecting benefits citing minor survey number discrepancies,” he alleged.

He pointed out that though ₹9,000 crore was due to be released under Rythu Bandhu for Kharif and ₹5,000 crore for Rabi, the government disbursed only ₹4,000 crore, holding back ₹5,000 crore. “They’ve withheld ₹14,000 crore and are now showing it as part of loan waiver,” he criticized.

“Even during COVID, KCR never stopped Rythu Bandhu,” he said. On crop insurance, Harish Rao claimed that though budgetary allocations were made, not a single farmer received compensation.

Under KCR’s rule, crop loss compensation was raised to ₹10,000 per acre, he noted. “In the last summer season alone, 1,350 acres were affected by hailstorm in Siddipet, and the government has not paid compensation for it yet,” he added.

He demanded that input subsidy be immediately released to affected farmers. “Farmers who toiled for months are now facing total loss,” he said. In Nanganur mandal alone, damage was recorded in 5,300 acres across 11 villages, while the estimate for Siddipet district stands at 10,000 acres, including 2,500 acres of horticulture crops.

Harish Rao demanded the government to release input subsidy and Rythu Bandhu immediately, and also criticized the government’s negligence in handling crop insurance. “Many deceased farmers’ families are still waiting for insurance payments,” he said, demanding immediate release of those funds.

He recalled that under KCR, subsidized seeds — such as red gram, green gram, and paddy — were provided to farmers. He urged the current Congress government to ensure timely supply of subsidized seeds and demanded free seed distribution to farmers for the upcoming Kharif season.

Harish Rao also questioned the government’s silence on tenant farmers, asking why Rythu Bandhu promised to them is now being denied. “Tenant farmers are in distress due to lack of input subsidy and Rythu Bandhu,” he said, demanding immediate relief for them as well.

 

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