Harish Rao, the former finance minister, sought to know when the Rythu Bharosa money would be paid to farmers.
Published Dec 09, 2023 | 8:33 PM ⚊ Updated Dec 09, 2023 | 8:33 PM
Telangana Finance Minister T Harish Rao visiting rain affected farmers. (Twitter)
The BRS has fired its first salvo at the nascent Revanth Reddy government in Telangana.
The party’s senior legislator and former finance and health minister T Harish Rao, on Saturday, 9 December, demanded an answer from the state government as to when it would begin crediting Rythu Bharosa money into the accounts of farmers.
Speaking to media persons on the premises of the Assembly, the former minister recalled the Congress leaders promising the farmers that after coming to power they would credit Rythu Bharosa — ₹15,000 per acre per year — money into their accounts on 9 December, on the occasion of the birthday of top party leader Sonia Gandhi.
“Today is 9 December. You have not credited the money. I want to know when you would do it,” he said.
The former minister also reminded the Congress leaders that they had promised to procure the paddy by paying an additional ₹500 as bonus per quintal.
Congress leaders had even advised farmers not give their paddy for procurement under the BRS government but to wait until the Congress came to power, Harsh Rao recalled.
He said the farmers were now eagerly waiting for the benefit to reach them.
Harish Rao said that he was not asking for answers to these questions as an Opposition party member with an intention to embarrass the government.
“I only wanted to know when the benefits promised would reach the farmers,” he said.
The former minister said that the farmers were going through an agonising ordeal with their paddy having been damaged by the recent cyclone and wanted to know when Rythu Bharosa amount would be credited to their bank accounts.
