Provide clarity and announce proper guidelines on Annadata Sukhibhava scheme: A.P. Tenant Farmers Association
The Andhra Pradesh Tenant Farmers Association has demanded that the State government provide clarity and announce proper guidelines regarding the Annadata Sukhibhava scheme.
The association secretary Maganti Haribabu and others, in a statement on Wednesday, expressed concern that during the recent Cabinet meeting, the government did not issue a clear statement on the implementation of the scheme.
According to some media reports, the State seems to be waiting for funds from the Central government before initiating the scheme. Currently, the Central government provides ₹6,000 in three instalments under the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi to land-owning farmers. However, tenant farmers are excluded from that benefit, the reports said.
In the recent budget session, the Agriculture Minister had announced in both the Legislative Assembly and the Council that the government would amend the Tenant Farming Act and provide the Annadata Sukhibhava benefit to all tenant farmers. However, now with the agricultural season approaching and no announcement of operational guidelines, several doubts have arisen.
There are doubts whether the benefits will be extended to all tenant farmers or only to SC, ST, and BC categories like the previous government did, leaving out the OC category. If multiple tenants cultivate under a single landowner, will all of them receive the benefit or only one, remains another. These are some of the unresolved issues.
Therefore, the government must immediately issue clear guidelines regarding the Annadata Sukhibhava scheme. As the agricultural season begins, ₹20,000 should be credited in one instalment into the bank accounts of all tenant farmers in the State to help them with investment needs. Delays may force tenant farmers into the clutches of private moneylenders, leading to severe losses.
Hence, the State government should recognise tenant farmers through 'gram sabhas' (village assemblies) without insisting on landowner consent. Every identified tenant farmer should receive the Annadata Sukhibhava benefit, the association added
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