On 4 December, the Telangana Cabinet discussed the Rythu Bharosa scheme, announcing ₹12,000 for farmers, partially fulfilling the ₹15,000 promise. The scheme applies to landowners, excluding those whose land is repurposed for non-agricultural use
Published Jan 05, 2025 | 6:54 PM ⚊ Updated Jan 05, 2025 | 6:54 PM
KTR calls for statewide BRS and farmer protest
“I don’t believe that the Congress will make good on its promises,” BRS working president KTR stated at a press conference discussing the Rythu Bharosa scheme. He further held, that the Congress is just putting on a show to get by the upcoming local body elections in Telangana.
The Telangana Cabinet met at the secretariat to discuss the Rythu Bharosa scheme on 4 December, Saturday. Announcing that the farmers will receive ₹12,000, it stood as a partial fulfilment of their initial ₹15,000 promise to replace the Rythu Bhandu scheme.
The Chief Minister, however, made it clear that the Rythu Bharosa will be paid to the farmers who own agricultural land regardless of whether they are fit for agriculture or not. However, owners, whose land has been used for other purposes would not benefit from the scheme.
“If you want to safeguard the Rythu Bharosa, you must confront the Congress at every level,” KTR proclaimed. He expounded that the party believed that the Rythu Bharosa meeting was solely to target Telangana’s upcoming local body elections.
“Tomorrow, the BRS is going to organise a protest across every Mandal in the state to express displeasure regarding the issue,” he announced. “I’m calling the farmers to join us and question the incumbent government regarding their promises,” he added. “Revanth Reddy owes the farmers of the state ₹26,000 Crore and each acre ₹17,500. We will not let it go until the dues are paid,” he affirmed.
“Let us all go after the government, from the Gun Park in front of the Assembly to each Mandal, until they fulfil the promises they made at the Warangal declaration,” he called upon the farmers.
He also informed the press that the BRS will keep watch to see if the Congress tries to omit any sections of the farmers. “There are horticultural farmers, pulse farmers, and even those who are employed, we will keep watch to ensure no one is left behind,” he reported.
KTR specially noted that it seems like farm labourers will not be benefitting from the Rythu Bharosa Scheme as there was no mention in yesterday’s meeting.
“I’m sure that a couple of months later, the Congress is just going to give up and say they lack the funds to implement the scheme,” he lamented.
Furthermore, KTR delved into Congress backtracking on its promise of ₹15,000 to all farmers, whether land-owning or farm labourers. Showing a video of Revanth Reddy and Congress leader Rahul Gandhi reiterating the same promise, he opined: “Words like cheating and betrayal do not suffice the situation.”
Taking the opportunity, KTR also addressed the Congress allegations against the BRS for putting the state in financial distress. “You should read your government’s reports sometimes,” KTR taunted the chief minister. Referring to a Reserve Bank of India (RBI) report audited by the Telangana Government, he detailed that Congress nearly tripled the BRS’s yearly borrowings.
“During the BRS regime, our yearly borrowings averaged to about ₹40,000 Crore a year. However, the Congress has borrowed about ₹1,38,000 Crore in just one year. That’s nearly 3.5 times what we borrowed,” KTR noted. “Despite borrowing such huge amounts of money, you haven’t fulfilled the crop loan waiver, you delayed Rythu Bandhu and Rythu Bharosa and didn’t start major development projects,” he alleged.
“Where is all this money going to? Whose pockets are you filling? Are you sending bags of money to Delhi? Are you filling Rahul Gandhi’s coffers? Is the money going to senior Congressfolk in Delhi?” he questioned.
He stated that the BRS handed over Telangana with a revenue surplus of over ₹5,000 Crore, much better than the ₹369 Crore revenue surplus state they were handed over.
“The Congress is repeatedly stating that the state’s economy has been ruined. Which investor is going to come to Telangana when the government says such things? Thanks to that, companies like Kaynes and Foxconn have also left the state,” he noted with displeasure.
“The chief minister also said something deeply concerning yesterday. He said that the state of government jobs was much better in the United Andhra Pradesh. How could he say that? He was not a part of the Telangana movement, but being the chief minister how could he diminish the state?” KTR asked.
“The government officials helped Telangana propel towards development across the board,” he reiterated.
Additionally, he mocked the Congress braggadocio. “On many occasion, the chief minister, deputy chief minister, and other minister bragged about their moneymaking skills. However, now that its time to implement their grandiose poll promises, they say the state cannot afford it,” he joked.
(Edited by Ananya Rao)
