On the eve of the scheduled launch of 'YSR Rythu Bharosa', a farmers' investment support scheme, the Andhra Pradesh government on Monday decided to enhance the proposed amount by Rs 1,000 and make it a total of Rs 13,500 per annum, including Rs 6,000 that comes from PM Kisan scheme.
Initially, the YSR Congress government promised to provide an annual grant of Rs 12,500 to each farmer, but later dovetailed it with the PM Kisan to lessen the financial burden on the state.
Chief Minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy will formally launch the Rythu Bharosa in SPS Nellore district on Tuesday.
Ahead of the event, he chaired a meeting of the AP Agriculture Mission, where representatives of farmers associations requested that the quantum of assistance be enhanced.
They also suggested that the amount be disbursed in instalments to suit the farmers requirement.
Accordingly, the Chief Minister decided to increase the grant by Rs 1,000, Agriculture Minister K Kanna Babu told reporters after the Mission meeting.
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Under the scheme, the Minister said, Rs 7,500 would be given in May (for Kharif crop), Rs 4,000 in September-October (for Rabi) and Rs 2,000 during Sankranti (harvest festival).
The state government made a budgetary provision of Rs 8,750 crore for Rythu Bharosa in 2019-20.
On Sunday, the government released Rs 5,510 crore for the scheme.
Kanna Babu said 40 lakh farmers would get benefit from Rythu Bharosa.
While 43 lakh farmers were enlisted under PM Kisan, 3.5 lakh were found ineligible during vetting of data.
"Another six lakh farmers, who are actually eligible, have not been getting the PM Kisan benefit," he pointed out.
The Agriculture Minister said three lakh tenant farmers would also be given Rhthu Bharosa in the state.