Tel to provide financial aid to farmers for buying fertilisers

The Telangana government today announced that it would provide financial assistance of Rs 4,000 per acre to farmers to purchase fertilisers.

Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao announced that the amount would be deposited in the bank accounts of farmers from the next financial year, every year before the Kharif season (in the last week of May).

"There are about 55 lakh farmers in the state who are using 25 lakh tonnes of fertiliser. The government will give them Rs 4000 per acre to each for the procurement of fertiliser," a release from his office quoted Rao as saying, while addressing a group of farmers here.
 

"From the next financial year onwards, every year in the last of week of May this amount will be deposited in the accounts of farmers," Rao said.

The farmers should form associations at the village level to monitor all issues and programmes related to agriculture, including provisioning of financial assistance of Rs 4,000 to purchase fertilisers, he said.

"We are supplying seed and fertilisers to farmers on time along with nine hours free and uninterrupted power supply. We are encouraging micro irrigation by giving more subsidies. We waived the (farm) loans. Inputs are a burden on farmers and we want to share it too. This is the reason why we have made a historical announcement today (providing Rs 4,000 per acre for purchase of fertilisers)," added Rao.

The opposition BJP, however, described the announcement as a "farce" as it would be implemented from the next fiscal.

"It's just a pre-term election gimmick. While farmers are hungry today, CM promised them to feed them for free, in the next financial year. It amounts to mockery of the farmers in distress. BJP demands immediate execution of the free fertiliser scheme, if CM KCR is sincere about it," BJP spokesperson Krishna Saagar Rao said in a statement.

He wondered why the TRS government planned to implement the move from next financial year.

"Why wait for the next financial year? It's just 13 days into a new financial year and CM is making promises for the next financial year, instead of solving immediate problems of the poor farmers," alleged Krishna Saagar.