It’s been nine months since the Revanth Reddy government took office and now the Congress government owes more than Rs. 25,000 crores to the farmers through various guarantees. This includes Rs. 11,475 crores for the Rythu Bharosa, Rs. 13,000 crores for loan waiver, and Rs. 428 crores for crop damage compensation. Farmers are anxiously waiting for CM Revanth Reddy to settle these arrears.
Monsoon crops have been planted, and as the harvest season approaches, the government has yet to provide the crop input assistance to the farmers. Under the previous KCR administration, investment assistance was deposited into farmers’ accounts at the start of the season.
For instance, last monsoon, Rs. 7,624 crores were distributed to cover 1.53 crore acres for 70 lakh farmers. The Congress government, however, had promised Rs. 7,500 per acre per season during the elections. Despite two growing seasons having passed since the Congress took power, the promised increase in investment support has not materialized. Based on this pledge, Rs. 11,475 crores should have been disbursed, yet farmers have received nothing so far, sparking widespread criticism.
As for crop loss compensation, farmers remain disappointed. Torrential rains across the state caused extensive crop damage, affecting between 8 and 10 lakh acres. Government estimates place the damage at 4.25 lakh acres, with a compensation rate of Rs. 10,000 per acre.
However, the promised relief has been delayed, with officials continuing crop surveys while farmers face growing hardships. Even damage from untimely April rains in 4,000 acres remains uncompensated. If the compensation is provided at Rs. 10,000 per acre, farmers are owed Rs. 500 crores in total.
Loan waiver, another key promise by Revanth Reddy, has also been partially fulfilled. One farmer in Medchal tragically committed suicide due to incomplete farm loan waiver. While the government pledged to waive Rs. 2 lakh in farmer loans in one go, it has only waived half of that amount over three installments.
Of the Rs. 31,000 crores earmarked for loan waiver, only Rs. 18,000 crores have been settled, leaving Rs. 13,000 crores still outstanding. The incomplete waiver has made it difficult for farmers to access new loans, putting them in a vulnerable position.
Even of the Rs. 18,000 crores claimed to be waived, ministers revealed that only Rs. 10,000 crores have actually been repaid to banks, leaving farmers in distress.