Cutting across party lines, Zilla Parishad Territorial Constituency (ZPTC) members alleged that the revenue officials were hindering the issuance of pattadar passbooks to farmers for securing financial assistance and insurance coverage under Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bheema schemes.
Participating in a debate on the agricultural sector at Zilla Parishad general body meeting, which was chaired by ZP Chairperson Tula Uma here on Saturday, the ZPTC members said revenue officials were harassing farmers in the issuance of pattadar passbooks and were demanding bribe for doing the job.
“The farmers are forced to run from pillar to post to get pattadar passbooks to avail themselves of the government schemes,” they said. Stating that the revenue officials should also be asked to attend the ZP general body meeting, they said a majority of small farmers were denied proper financial assistance under Rythu Bandh given that they have received amount that is lesser that their actual land-holdings. Speaking on the issue, Kataram Congress ZPTC member Narayana Reddy said over 70% of farmers in Kataram and Mahadevpur mandals were denied the Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bheema schemes due to negligence on part of the revenue officials in issuing pattadar passbooks.
TRS ZPTC member from Bejjanki, Sharath Rao, said two phases of Rythu Bandhu were completed and the government was planning to go ahead with the third phase. “But farmers in Ganneruvaram mandal and other villages are worried over non-release of financial assistance under the scheme in spite of having pattadar passbooks,” he said.
Responding to the debate, Karimnagar Joint Collector G.V. Shyam Prasad Lal assured the ZPTC members of taking all measures to ensure that the farmers receive pattadar passbooks and avail themselves of the government schemes. He said they would entrust the job to tahsildars and deputy tahsildars instead of solely relying on village revenue officers (VRO) for the same.
On the occasion, the ZPTC members observed two-minute silence to mourn the death of soldiers in Pulwama attack.
