Errors in Rythu Bandhu cheques spark protests
Several names misspelt, mistakes found in land details
Distribution of Rythu Bandhu cheques and epattadar passbooks to farmers has been met by protests in some districts as beneficiaries have found errors in their passbooks and cheques.
In some cases names were spelt wrongly, and in others there were errors in the land holdings.
The disgruntled beneficiaries are protesting at distribution centres and refusing to accept the cheques and passbooks.
The cheque distribution was launched by Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday. It covered all the mandals and villages on Friday.
The incidents of errors in cheques and passbooks came to light in Medak, Nizamabad, Kamareddy, Nirmal, Khammam, Mahabubnagar, and Nalgonda districts.
Affected farmers refused to accept the cheques and passbooks and had to be pacified by promises to correct the errors and issue new ones in the second phase.
Agriculture secretary C Parthasarathy said, "There is no need for panic in case of any errors noticed in cheques or passbooks. We have set up a special counter in all the distribution centres to lodge such complaints, if any. Officials will examine such cases and correct errors if complaints are found to be genuine. They will be issued new cheques and passbooks in the second phase, the schedule for which will be announced after the first phase ends on May 17."
Mr Parthasarathy said that on Friday cheques and books were distributed in all districts except Hyderabad.
The programme covered 30 districts, 509 mandals, and 1,629 villages on Friday.
Cheques and passbooks were distributed to 3,43,386 farmers.