Fate of 39,000-odd Rythu Bandhu cheques not yet disbursed

Rangareddy: The state government is holding negotiations with bankers on the fate of 39,000 cheques, payable to the rich farmers, celebrity land owners and NRI land owners, remained undisbursed under Rytu Bandhu scheme. The cheques for a total of Rs 31.05 crore are languishing with the agriculture department. The cheques are going to expire by August 10.

Under Rytu Bandhu, the district administration targeted to distribute input subsidy to 2,87,307 farmers during kharif, but it could distribute only 2,48,104 cheques as others did not come forward to stake claim for the subsidy. Moreover, the rich farmers, especially the NRIs, are not willing to collect their pattadar passbooks and also the input subsidy cheques as it would entail travelling to their village from the place of their working. The cheques and passbooks have been distributed on April 19, May 1, 10 and 15 with an expiry date on July 19, August 1, 10 and 15.

The district administration has written to the state government on the fate of the unclaimed cheques. The government is holding negotiations with bankers to the effect to extend the expiry date as printing them again and correcting the mistakes is a time-consuming affair. The district administration is making all arrangements to distribute the pending 10,456 passbooks among the farmers soon. The agriculture department is preparing an action plan for the same after verifying the relevant land records.