KCR gears up for perfect launch of Crop Investment Support Scheme

​Hyderabad: Not one for tolerating any laxity in the implementation of the state government's crop investment support scheme, Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Saturday asked the District Collectors to make necessary arrangements for the smooth launch of the programme on May 10.

True to his style, KCR said the Collectors who lag behind others would have to face music. The Collectors, he said, should focus their attention to make sure that the banks would have enough cash and the farmers get the subsidy amount as promised by the state on the day. He said he would not tolerate any delay in making payments to the farmers.

The Chief Minister, who held a daylong meeting with Collectors, Joint Collectors, Agriculture Department officials and ministers, reviewed the arrangements made for the distribution of cheques and passbooks to the farmers simultaneously.

The state government has set apart Rs 6,000 crore for the first phase of financial assistance to be distributed before the beginning of the Kharif season. This money is already kept in the banks, he said, and the banks should pay cash to the farmers once farmer presents the cheque in the bank, or else appropriate measures would be taken to deal with the erring banks.

KCR asked the Collectors to hold meetings with the bankers and ensure that cash is given once the cheques are presented. The officials were directed to inform the bankers in no uncertain terms that action would be taken against them if they fail to pay cash in time. “Farmers should have cash on hand before the onset of the monsoon. This is the reason why we are launching the programme in May,” the CM explained.

The benefits of the investment support scheme will be provided to all farmers of the assigned lands, non-tribals cultivating land in the agency areas and all the pattadars. The CM clarified that the farmers who do not need the financial assistance will have to surrender the cheques before the local authorities and the same amount will be deposited to the account of Farmers Coordination Committees. “We have to distribute 58 lakh passbooks and cheques. Printing of passbooks and Cheque books is in progress and would be over by this month end. 

Passbooks and cheques will be supplied district, mandal and village-wise,” KCR said and asked the Collectors to verify passbooks and cheques belonging to their districts and make corrections if there are any typo or other mistakes.  He wanted to form 2,762 teams of officials so that one team distributes 300 passbooks per day.

In case the financial assistance given to a farmer is more than Rs 50,000, two cheques for the value of less than Rs 50,000 each will be distributed. He desired that under the District Collectors’ leadership, the entire administration should implement the programme from May 10 for one week, using their entire strength, expertise and experience. 

The officials were also asked to form grievance cells to address the issues raised by the people during cheque distribution and also arrange police bandobast to monitor law and order situation in the villages. The CM suggested that the ministers, MPs, MLAs, MLCs and other local body representatives to be made stakeholders in the programme. Chief Secretary SK Joshi and others were present at the review meeting.