Stopping Rythu Bandhu disbursement will cause irreparable loss to farmers: BRS appeals to ECI

HYDERABAD: The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) on Monday wrote a letter to the Election Commission of India (ECI) and the Chief Electoral Officer, Telangana and said that Rythu Bandhu disbursement would cause irreparable loss to farmers and appealed to reconsider its orders.

In its letter, BRS secretary general K Keshava Rao and party general secretary Soma Bharath Kumar said, “The Rythu Bandhu Scheme is an on-going scheme since May, 2018 and for the last five-and-half-a years the scheme is in continuous implementation. The scheme is intended for the farmers as an investment support for their agricultural activities before the start of the seasons - Kharif and Rabi every year. This was also brought to your notice earlier that Rs. 5,000 per acre per season for agricultural farmers and over the state given under this scheme.”

Since the Rabi season had advanced in Telangana, the Telangana Government proposed to disburse the Rythu Bandhu assistance to the farmers from November, 24. “The same was informed to you by the Government and you were pleased to grant permission vide Letter dt. November 25, 2023 and has given no objection for disbursement of Rythu Bandhu assistance with certain conditions, as stated in the letter under reference. But to our utter surprise, the order under reference Honourable Commission withdrew the No objection granted on November 25 to the State Government to disburse the Rythu Bandhu assistance to farmers and observe that there shall be no disbursement under the scheme till the Model code of Conduct in the State ceases to apply in all its form in State of Telangana.”

The BRS leaders said, “On the ground that the disbursement was stopped as Telangana Minister for Health and Finance T Harish Rao, has violated the condition of order dt. November 25, with due respect to your authority, is wrongly placed. It is submitted that Harish Rao has not made any such comment which is in violation of your order dt. November 25. He merely thanked your authority for allowing the disbursement of scheme amount to the farmers in Telangana.”

The statement of Harish Rao was an inadvertent statement and nothing but an expression of gratitude for the Election Commission's decision. “We once again reiterate that the Rythu Bandhu scheme is an on-going scheme for the last five-and-a-half years. It is submitted that the Rabi season has advanced in the State due to the good rainfall in the recent days and the farmers have started cultivation activities and as they require the assistance which is continuously given to them in the last five-and-a-half years. It is a legitimate expectation for them to receive this financial assistance,” the BRS leaders said.

Apart from this, the Central Government programme of PM Kisan Scheme was also allowed to disburse the amount and that amount was already deposited into the farmers account, and there was no difference between both the schemes so far as assistance to the farmers were considered, the BRS leaders said. “The stoppage of Rythu Bandhu assistance will cause irreparable loss to farmers - since the agricultural season will be ended. We are appealing to withdraw the orders given for stopping the disbursement of Rythu Bandhu in the interest of farmers,” the BRS leaders added.