Minister for Agriculture and Cooperation K. Kanna Babu has said that the government will disburse interest-free crop loans amounting to ₹3,534 crore in the current financial year 2019-20 and that it will pass the annual benefit of ₹50,000 under Rythu Bharosa scheme to tenant farmers also. It was committed to curbing the menace of spurious seeds, he said.
Thrust areas
Speaking to mediapersons after taking charge at his chambers at the Secretariat on Saturday, Mr. Kanna Babu said the proposals related to Rythu Bharosa and other schemes were being sent to the Finance Department. Due emphasis would be laid on the cooperative and horticulture sectors.
Premium
He recalled that the farmers used to pay premium to avail themselves of crop insurance, and keeping in view the constraints faced by the debt-ridden farmers, the State government had decided to bear that burden which was estimated to be about ₹2,165 crore.
Mr. Kanna Babu said the government would henceforth pay an ex gratia of ₹7 lakh to the kin of farmers who kill themselves owing to financial distress. Besides, it was contemplated to provide insurance cover to the farmers. Proposal for it was discussed and sent for the Chief Minister’s clearance. Endowments Minister Vellampalli Srinivas, Principal Secretary B. Rajasekhar and Special Secretary Y. Madhusudan Reddy, Horticulture Commissioner Chiranjeev Chowdary and others were present.
