Rythu Sangham against cash transfer in lieu of free rice

Vijayawada: Andhra Pradesh Rythu Sangam took strong exception to the proposal put forward by the Stare government to pay cash at the rate of Rs 12 per kg of rice if the ration card holder opt for cash instead of rice. The government has proposed the introduction of the scheme in five municipalities across the State on trial basis.

AP Rythu Sangam president Y Kesava Rao and secretary Marrapu Suryanarayana said in a statement here on Monday that people would be compelled to buy rice in the open market, which would be burdensome for them. 'White ration card holders like poor farmers, tenant farmers and agriculture labourers would be hit hard with the new scheme. Moreover, if the scheme is implemented in full, the civil supplies department or the Food Corporation of India need not buy paddy from the farmers,' they said.

'The farmers would be compelled to depend on the rice millers to sell their produce. The rice millers are already paying low price to the produce on some context or other when the civil supplies department is buying paddy. In its absence, the farmers will be on the mercy of rice millers.' The farmers would never get even minimum support price, the farmer leaders said. The duo said that already the Central government is planning to hand over the FCI godowns to Adani company and if this proposal is implemented, the Adani group would be calling shots. Moreover, the food security would be put in danger. In this context, the AP Rythu Sangam demanded the government not to go ahead with the cash benefit scheme in the place of rice.