The Election Commission on Monday withdrew the permission given to the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) government in Telangana for disbursements of financial aid to farmers for rabi crops under the Rythu Bandhu Scheme.
The EC cited a violation of the Model Code of Conduct (MCC) after a state minister violated the provisions of the code by making a public announcement about it. The poll panel had earlier given its nod to the state government to disburse the rabi instalment during the model code of conduct period on certain grounds.
The Telangana government was asked not to publicise the disbursement during the poll code as part of the condition.
Telangana goes to election on November 30 while the results will be announced along with other poll-bound states on December 3.
What is Rythu Bandhu scheme?
‘Rythu Bandhu’ scheme is the much-publicised farmer direct income support scheme of the ruling Bharat Rashtra Samithi and a brainchild of Telangana CM K Chandrasekhar Rao.
The scheme was launched in 2014 and the Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Department of Telangana Government introduced it in 2018. The scheme gives cash grants of Rs 5,000 an acre for a crop season to enable farmers to meet contingencies and augment agricultural production.
The key objective of the RBS is to prevent farmers from taking personal loans at obnoxious interest rates and rescue them from financial pitfalls. Under the scheme, farmers will directly get financial support twice a year, i.e. during the two main harvest seasons.
Who has Benefitted from the Scheme?
The scheme is reportedly the country’s first direct farmer investment support scheme where cash is paid directly to the beneficiary.
Between 2018-19 and 2021-22, the Telangana government has disbursed over Rs 65,000 crore, with the number of beneficiaries going up from 52 lakh to 65 lakh last year. Agriculture Minister S Niranjan Reddy has said that about 92.5 per cent of beneficiaries under Rythu Bandhu were still small and marginal farmers owning less than 10 acres of land.
The BRS has further promised ahead of polls of raising the grant from Rs 10,000 to Rs 16,000 a year. The opposition Congress has proposed Indiramma Rythu Bharosa, where farmers will get Rs 15,000 and farmhands Rs 12,000 per year.
Other states too have implemented schemes similar to Rythu Bandhu offering smaller grants to win over the large constituency of farmers.
Why EC ordered to stop the Scheme?
The election commission had allowed the disbursement of funds for the rabi harvest this season, provided they are not publicised, in accordance with the poll code of conduct.
However, state finance minister T Harish Rao announced during a campaign that the money under the Rythu Bandhu scheme would be credited to the farmers on a certain date before the polls.
“The disbursement will be made on Monday. Even before the farmers complete their breakfast and tea, the amount will be credited into their account," he had said.
The model code was violated and the poll body took note of the statement made by the minister, who a contesting candidate from the BRS.
The EC ordered the Telangana government not to give any disbursement under the scheme till the MCC in the state “ceases to apply in all its forms". The state government has been asked to submit a compliance report by 3 pm today.
The Congress, who is sitting in the opposition for nearly a decade, has been demanding a stop on the release of scheme funds to farmers until the polls are over.
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