Rythu Lakshmi Scheme Will Lanuch On April 19

The Rythu Laksmi scheme is going to lanuch on April 19 by CM KCR.Under this secheme the government will distrubute of the cheques worth Rs 4,000 each per acre per season would be completed by May 31 to enable farmers encash their cheques and commence farming activities and government has also decided to extend the scheme to farmers who take up horticultural crops as well.

Agriculture Minister Pocharam Srinivas Reddy made the announcement in the State Legislative Council on Monday and said there was no change in the State government’s decision to issue cheques to farmers. When some legislators expressed fear that the banks might adjust the amount towards crop loan arrears, he clarified that the government would issue bearer cheques enabling farmers to encash these cheques from any bank.

“We have made arrangements to ensure availability of adequate cash for disbursal to farmers,” the Minister announced. Further, the government will bear the clearance charges imposed by banks for clearing the cheques. Finance Minister Etela Rajender and the Agriculture Minister have already met Union Finance Minister Arun Jaitley and requested him to ensure additional cash availability amounting to over Rs 5,000 crore in the banks to help farmers commence their operations as per schedule.

The State government has identified about 1.42 crore acre cultivable land in the State during the land records purification. About 96 per cent lands owned by about 72,13,111 farmers in 10,850 villages were identified as dispute-free lands and passbooks will be issued for these lands soon. At least one bank branch will be opened in every mandal to issue these passbooks before launch of the Rythu Lakshmi scheme on April 19 by Chief Minister K Chandrashekhar Rao. 

Responding to another question, Reddy said that the State government was constructing 2,638 Rythu Vedikas which will function as meeting place for farmers who are members of Farmers Association Coordination Committees (FACCs). One Agricultural Extension Officer (AEO) has been appointed for each of 2,638 clusters which cover about 5,000 acre area each. The Chief Minister will soon finalise designs for the farmers meeting halls which will be constructed at a cost of Rs 12 lakh each.

“Land has been identified for meeting halls in 654 of the total 2,638 clusters. Some philantropists have donated about 20 acre of land in 30 places besides multiple donations worth Rs 17 lakh,” the Minister said. He wanted the legislators to help the government identify necessary land to facilitate construction of the meeting halls.