10 hours ago
CM Revanth launches Rythu Bharosa
Hyderabad: Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy, while underscoring his government's genuine farmer-friendly programmes, launched the Rythu Bharosa scheme on Monday, allocating Rs 9,000 crore to benefit approximately 72 lakh farmers for the Kharif season. During the launch event at Professor Jayashankar Telangana Agriculture University, he criticized the Bharat Rashtra Samithi for targeting the mere 18-month-old Congress government while ignoring the damage done to the state over the past 10 years under the BRS rule.
Revanth Reddy emphasized that without the support of farmers, no one can hold positions --be it village sarpanch, MPTC member, ZPTC member, MLA, MP, or Chief Minister.
He highlighted that the Congress-led Telangana government, unlike any other state in the country, had spent about Rs 1 lakh crore on various farmer welfare schemes, including farm loan waivers and the MSP (Minimum Support Price) for procurement of farm produce, within just 18 months.
The Chief Minister slammed the BRS, stating that those who had been in power for ten years, did nothing but had the cheek to criticize the state government. He pointed out that the BRS misled the public by claiming the state had only Rs 4.5 lakh crore debt burden. When the Congress assumed office, the state's debt stood at Rs 8 lakh crore, pushing it into a debt trap. 'The destruction they caused in ten years is irreversible, even over a hundred years, leaving the state economy in shambles,' he added.
The Chief Minister noted that the BRS had built flashy structures to portray an image of wealth but left behind a trail of economic devastation. This has created significant challenges for the state government, including clearing fee reimbursements for students, disbursing retirement benefits to government employees, and addressing farmers' welfare issues.
In contrast, the Congress government aimed to transform the state into a one-trillion economy and recognized the importance of agriculture, he underscored. The state government planned to double farmers' incomes and alleviate the distress caused during the erstwhile BRS regime. He noted that the state government successfully implemented the farm loan waiver all at once, unlike any other government. Additionally, it had introduced the MSP, a Rs 500 bonus for superfine rice, crop insurance, and the Rythu Bharosa scheme.
Farmers had shown trust in the government, as 60 per cent of the total 2.5 crore metric tons of rice cultivated was superfine variety rice, he stated. Telangana had become the leading state in superfine rice production and was also the only state providing this rice to the poor through the Public Distribution System (PDS), he said.
The Chief Minister asserted that the state government was systematically addressing shortcomings to steer the state back onto a path of development. 'At every step, we encounter challenges. However, we are making necessary corrections to guide the state towards progress,' he said.
Revanth Reddy assured farmers that despite the difficulties the state faced, the government would stand with them and launch the Rs 9,000 crore disbursal of Rythu Bharosa in the next nine days. Revanth observed that, apart from him, Ministers, MLAs, and others were actively engaging with the people and working for the state, instead of 'isolating themselves in farmhouses' (alluding to former chief minister K Chandrasekar Rao). He urged everyone to communicate the government's farmer welfare initiatives to the villages.
'We have created an environment where farmers can live with dignity instead of resorting to suicide. Meanwhile, the opposition celebrates the deaths of farmers and students, seeking to gain political power from their misfortunes,' he said.
He requested patience from those who ruled the state for ten years, allowing the government time to fulfill its promises.
Revanth Reddy remarked that during the BRS regime, even husbands and wives could not talk freely on the phone for fear of being tapped. However, under the Congress government, people enjoyed freedom, including the ability to criticize the government without fear. The Chief Minister challenged anyone to show another state government in the country, other than Telangana, that had filled 60,000 jobs in a year. Revanth Reddy expressed his view that he and his Cabinet colleagues had achieved enough in life and were now focused on providing a brighter future for the next generation. 'We must shape the futures of the youth and students of the state,' he observed.
Emphasizing the need for crop diversification and the cultivation of commercial crops, he instructed the chief secretary and officials of the energy department to raise awareness among farmers about installing solar-powered pump sets. He emphasized that all a farmer wanted was to live with dignity and self-respect while cultivating and living in their village. He assured that the people's government would stand by them, adding that no matter how many protests and rallies the opposition staged, the next ten years will be crucial for progress in the state.
Earlier, he interacted with farmers witnessing the launch of the scheme via video conferencing at over 1,000 Rythu Vedikas across the state. Deputy CM Mallu Bhatti Vikramarka, Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, and Ministers Ponnam Prabhakar and Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy also spoke on the welfare measures.
