Andhra Pradesh chief minister Y S Jagan Mohan Reddy on Tuesday made a direct benefit transfer of ₹2,978 crore into the accounts of 1.5 million farmers towards insurance to compensate for the crop loss in Kharif and Rabi seasons in 2021.
This is the third consecutive year in which the Jagan Mohan Reddy government paid the money to the farmers under the crop insurance scheme. The government had paid ₹1,252.18 crore to 948,000 lakh farmers during 2019-20 and ₹1,739 crores to 1.3 million farmers during 2020-21.
The chief minister disbursed the amount at an event held at Chennekothapalli in the Sri Sathya Sai district. The expenditure for the payment to the farmers is jointly born by the state government under the YSR Free Crop Insurance scheme and the Central government under Pradhan Mantri Fasal Beema Yojana.
“If the crop is lost, the farmers are in distress. This in turn puts the entire state in distress. If the farmers lose crops in one season, we directly place the compensation amount in the hands of the farmers before the arrival of the same season next year. We pay crop insurance compensation without bribes or discrimination,” the chief minister said, addressing a gathering of farmers.
Jagan said that his government had not only paid the crop insurance amount to the farmers on time but also cleared the arrears the previous Telugu Desam Party (TDP) government had left.
“The previous government disbursed just ₹3,411 crore for 30.85 lakh farmers over five years. But, under our regime, in the last year three years, we have already disbursed a total sum of ₹6,684 crore to 44.28 lakh farmers under YSR free insurance crops. Clearing out the arrears of the previous government, we are at every step ensuring the farmers’ welfare through timely payments,” the chief minister said.
Jagan said his government was committed to the welfare of farmers and the development of the agriculture sector, where about ₹128,000 crore was given to farmers under various schemes in the last three years.
“During the previous government, farmers had no idea when the insurance claims would be paid and how much would be paid, and to whom. But, today, we are settling the claims of the previous Kharif season before the start of the new Kharif season itself,” he said, adding that the government is doing good for the farmers in all aspects right from providing free power supply to free crop insurance.
Terming that all the rivals will unite to go against the YSR Congress Party government, he said that whenever the government plans to do something good for the people, all the vested interests unite and try to divert the people’s attention with negative propaganda.
He asserted that his government continued to support various welfare initiatives, despite budgetary constraints.
He lashed out at former chief minister N Chandrababu Naidu for instigating the farmers to go in for a crop holiday.
“Unlike the previous government, which failed to credit the amount of paddy procurement to the farmers, the present government was crediting the amount within 21 days of the procurement process, even though the funds from the Centre were being delayed,” Jagan said.
TDP general secretary Nara Lokesh said that Jagan Mohan Reddy government had in fact broken the backbone of the farmers by diluting the free electricity supply scheme and fixing meters on agricultural motors. “It was Jagan who has broken every promise given to the farmers, youth, women and job seekers prior to the elections,” he said.
State ministers Kakani Govardhan Reddy, Usha Sricharan, Gummanooru Jayaram, Agri Mission Vice-Chairman MVS Nagireddy, several MPs, MLCs, MLAs, and other public representatives were present.
Source - https://www.hindustantimes.com
