Farmers may tilt scales in favour of BRS in elections

Hyderabad: Farmers in State may tilt in favour of the BRS in the ensuing Assembly elections, thanks to schemes like ‘Rythu Bandhu’, ‘Rythu Beema’. But they want linking of the National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme with agriculture to overcome scarcity of farm labour.

The farming community want the Rythu Bandhu restricted exclusively to those who are involved in agriculture, and not to those not doing farming.

A farmer Shankarayapalli in Jadcherla, A Jairam, who has five acres, said he is getting Rythu Bandhu. But his concern is--it being given to the land-holders who don’t take up farming.

“The idea behind the Rythu Bandhu scheme was good to provide an investment subsidy, but money is being given to those who are not doing agriculture,” he says.

Farmers also want the government to take steps linking NREGS to agriculture. “We are not getting coolies in fields during the season. If the government can link NREGS, we can provide half payment and another half can be given by the government,” say Jairam. He wants the government to provide continuous support.

“The person who is feeding is better than the one who says I will feed you in future,” he says, indicating his support to the government.

A farmer from Moinabad mandal in Ranga Reddy, Patel Manik Rao, who has two acres, says though they are getting the Rythu Bandhu, they are not receiving the subsidies which they used to get earlier.

He says a person with 10 acres will get Rs 1 lakh as investment, but a farmer like him will get only Rs 20,000. “In the past the government used to give subsidies for drip facilities which are not there now.

The prices of urea, DAP, trampoline are rising, but the Rythu Bandhu amount is stagnant,” Rao points out. He says he is yet yet to get loan waiver benefit.

B Kishtaiah, a farmer from Nalgonda, says things are good and there is no need for a change. Farmers need seeds, water and later procurement of crops. All these have been addressed by the government.

“Political parties will make promises, but there should be a track record of work they do.

The Congress party had promised nine-hour power previously, but failed. Now it says three-hour power is enough,” he says.