Page 39 - June2018

telAngAnA

scheme of the Telangana farmers in non-inclusion of tenant
ill the flagship
farmers in the scheme, asking
ruling TRS why the government was not
party help to awe of ryThu Bandhu applying this scheme to ten-
W get back into ant farmers. The government
power? How far will this vote The Opposition party blames TRS for resorting should also offer a bonus for
bank magic benefit the ruling the crops along with invest-
party? Can the Opposition to populism ahead of upcoming elections as the ment subsidy, a senior leader
party’s allegations about this government introduces massive investment demanded. However, the gov-
scheme change the mood of ernment categorically ruled
the voter? subsidy, slated to benefit around 60 lakh out the proposal to imple-
The political developments farmers, writes SateeSh Revelli ment this scheme to tenant
in Telangana State are turning farmers. It will not be possible
into an interesting scenario as and practical to provide the
Rythu Bandhu Scheme (RBS) investment support to tenant
gets underway on 10th of this farmers as there is a possibil-
month. Under this investment ity of ownership issues arising
subsidy scheme, every farmer later, the Municipal Admin-
in the State, who owns the istration Minister KT Rama
land, will get an investment Rao said.
subsidy of 4,000 per acre, On the other hand, the
irrespective of how much he Telangana Telugu Desam also
owns. It means that from a criticized the TRS govern-
farmer holding an extent of ment’s attitude about this
one gunta (40 guntas per acre) scheme. The government
to a farmer having hundreds spent crores of rupees in
of acres will get the invest- publicity, by giving advertise-
ment subsidy, every season. ments not only in Telugu me-
As most of the farmers dia but also in other regional
cultivate two crops per year, language media across the
they will get the investment really committed on farming • Farming gains A total of 58 lakh country, a TDP leader alleged.
subsidy twice a year under sector, why it did not give the farmers will benefit from the move Meanwhile, 40 village
the scheme. A total of 58 lakh investment subsidy in last 3 Sarpanches of Maharashtra
farmers, owning about 1.42 cr years, the Telangana Pradesh have demanded that their
acre of land will benefit from Congress Committee Chief N. ex-chairman of T-JAC, Prof. M. villages too be made part of
this historical decision. The Uttam Kumar Reddy ques- Kodandaram, who also played Telangana. These villages of
TRS government says this tioned. The Chief Minister a crucial role during Tel- Nanded, about 40-50 km.
scheme is the first-of-its-kind, KCR did not even console angana Statehood movement, from Nizamabad district of
wherein all farmers will be the family members of 4,000 alleged that the TRS govern- Telangana, had been part of
granted financial support, farmers who committed sui- ment was helping the realtors, erstwhile Telangana un-
without involving the middle- cide in last four years. The TRS instead of farmers with the der the Nizam dominion.
men, to maximize agricultural government did not extend RBS. While only 98 lakh acres A group of Sarpanches of
production and productiv- any compensation and are were under cultivation across these villages wrote a letter
ity. The government has set now offering 4,000 per acre, the state for Kharif season, the to Telangana government
aside 12,000 crore in 2018-19 as a sop only to woo farmers TRS government was giving requesting that they should
Budget exclusively for invest- ahead of elections, by year- away crop investment subsidy once again be included in
ment subsidy scheme. end or early 2019, he added. of 4,000 per acre for 1.4 crore Telangana. Responding to
However, the Opposi- The main Opposition party acres. this request, TRS MP, Kavitha
tion parties are alleging that also expressed that there The uncultivated land is said, farmers of neighbouring
this scheme is nothing but would have been no need of the property of realtors, who states were noticing the pro-
an election gimmick. The investment subsidy amount use it for business purposes. farmer schemes of Telangana
government has started this had the government offered As a result of this, 1,720 crore government. In this context,
populist scheme ahead of Minimum Support Price is going to realtors and non- it is the time to decide the im-
Gram Panchayat and General (MSP) to agriculture produces. cultivating owners. The Oppo- pact of this populistic scheme.
elections, they said. The Telangana Jana sition parties also questioned
If the TRS government is Samithi (TJS) president and the government regarding letters@tehelka.com

Tehelka / 15 june 2018 39 www.Tehelka.com

39 Sateesh.indd 3 04/06/18 12:44 PM