Chief Minister Y.S Jagan Mohan Reddy has said that the welfare of the farmer is of paramount to the welfare of the State and promised that every step will be taken to protect their interests.
ADVERTISEMENT
Addressing a meeting held in virtual mode, after crediting ₹1,820.23 crore into the accounts of 15.15 lakh farmers as part of YSR Free Crop Insurance Scheme, Mr. Jagan said: “We have spent ₹83,000 crore for the welfare of farmers in the last 23 months. We are providing ₹13,500 for more than 52 lakh farmers and in five years, we will be giving farmers ₹67,500 under Rythu Bharosa. After crediting ₹3,900 crore into the accounts of farmers under Rythu Bharosa, we are able to do more by crediting ₹1,820 crore into accounts of 15.15 lakh farmers under YSR Crop Insurance Scheme for kharif 2020. In this month alone, we have credited ₹5,800 crore into the accounts of farmers. We know that 62% of people in the State depend on agriculture and allied activities.”
The Chief Minister said he had witnessed the crop damage in kharif 2020 and that made him realise the need for bringing in the YSR crop insurance scheme.
Mr. Jagan blamed the previous TDP government for keeping pending arrears of ₹3,778 crore and not paying the crop insurance for the year 2018-19. The YSRCP government had paid ₹715 crore as part of crop insurance and a compensation of ₹1,252 crore for the year 2019-20 and thus in two years, the government had paid ₹1,968 crore into accounts of farmers, he said.
ADVERTISEMENT
“It was different in earlier governments. The farmers would never know the extent of crop damage, the extent of compensation, but now, we are giving the input subsidy in the same year the crop is damaged. Our government is now paying total premium and those farmers who are registered in e-crop are being paid the entire premium,” Mr. Jagan said.
The Chief Minister said the State government was spending ₹17,430 crore on free power scheme for farmers. Further, it had set up 10,778 Rythu Bharosa Kendras attached to village secretariats and was guiding the farmers at every stage.
The government was also aiding dairy farmers and was paying an additional ₹5 to ₹15 on every litre of milk. Schemes such as YSR Jala Kala, are meant to further boost irrigation facilities.
Minister for Agriculture K. Kanna Babu said the State government had credited ₹5,820 crore into accounts of farmers in this month alone , including ₹4,000 crore under YSR Rythu Bharosa-PM Kisan.