The Congress government is taking steps to provide Rythu Bharosa to farmers based on advanced satellite surveys. This is being done to disburse investment assistance only for land where cropping has been undertaken, going against the very principle of farm investment support. To achieve this, the government is enhancing accuracy in identifying cultivated land through a combination of satellite and manual surveys.
It is reported that cultivation data will now be assessed through satellite imagery in addition to the traditional manual surveys conducted by Agriculture Extension Officers (AEOs). The National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) has been entrusted with the responsibility of conducting the satellite surveys. Telangana Remote Sensing Application Centre (TRAC) will collaborate with the NRSC to execute the project. A pilot initiative has already been completed in select districts, revealing a 10% discrepancy between satellite surveys and manual surveys by AEOs.
To address this, efforts are underway to make satellite-based assessments more robust. AEOs, who have traditionally relied on manual counting, are now using digital tools developed by the central government, incorporating satellite data for cross-verification.
The BRS government’s earlier policy under the Rythu Bandhu scheme provided financial support for the total cultivable land. In contrast, the Congress government is planning to disburse Rythu Bharosa only for land where cultivation is taking place.
This policy shift may significantly impact farmers, especially during the Yasangi season. While crops are grown on 1.35 crore acres during the rainy season, only 60 lakh acres are cultivated in Yasangi. This could leave a considerable portion of farmers without support during Yasangi, particularly those whose lands are left fallow due to water shortages.
Farmers who face challenges such as a lack of water, despite owning cultivable land, are likely to be excluded from receiving benefits under the Rythu Bharosa scheme.