`11K-cr scheme on anvil Give up subsidy, rich farmers told

Having announced financial assistance of `4,000 per acre for every farmer in Telangana state from the next Kharif season in June 2018, the government is now keen to encourage “rich farmers” not to avail of the scheme, which will place a heavy burden on the state exchequer.

Hard reality kicked in when the agriculture department conducted a survey of agriculture landholdings between May and July to assess the number of beneficiaries.

The survey found that there are over 1.24 crore acres which would come under the subsidy scheme.

Estimates put the total subsidy the state will have to bear at `11,000 crore per year.

The government is now considering a proposal to launch a ‘Give Up Subsidy’ scheme, along the lines of the Centre’s LPG cylinders scheme, to reduce its burden.

Having announced financial assistance of `4,000 per acre for every farmer in Telangana state from the next Kharif season in June 2018, the government is now keen to encourage “rich farmers” not to avail of the scheme.

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao had assured that all farmers irrespective of their social status, income, and extent of land holdings are eligible for the scheme.

Under the scheme, the government extends `4,000 per acre in both Kharif and Rabi seasons, which would mean that each farmer would get `8,000 per acre a year.

The irony is that several influential and wealthy persons own farmland, such as ministers, MLAs, MLCs, MPs, IAS and Group-I officers, all of whom are eligible to claim the financial assistance under the scheme!

Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao himself owns an 85-acre farmhouse on the outskirts of the city, which too was enrolled in the recent survey conducted by the agriculture department.

The Chief Minister thus becomes eligible for a handout of `3.40 lakh in each of the two seasons every year.

Similarly, almost all the ministers, MLAs, MLCs, MPs and businessmen and top level officials like IAS, IPS, Group-I officers etc hold significant extent of farmlands on the city’s outskirts or in neighbouring districts or elsewhere in the state, which too are enrolled for the scheme.

Senior officials of the agriculture department hasten to add that giving up the subsidy will be voluntary, but admit that so far no one has expressed a willingness to give up the subsidy.