The Rythu Bandhu Farmers’ Investment Support Scheme introduced by TRS Government in Telangana has been emulated by the NDA Government.
The NDA government has named the scheme as ‘Prime Minister’s Kisan Samman Nidhi’. This new scheme is nothing but a replica of the innovative ‘Rythu Bandhu’ scheme of the TRS government, launched during last Kharif season.
Presenting the interim budget for 2019-2020 in Parliament on Friday, Interim Finance Minister Piyush Goyal announced the Prime Minister’s Kisan Samman Nidhi, which envisages payment of Rs 6,000 in three installments of Rs 2,000 each.
This scheme will be applicable only to small and marginal farmers with land holdings not exceeding five acres, while ‘Rythu Bandhu’ assistance of Rs 4,000 per acre per season is provided across the board to all farmers in the State irrespective of their land holdings.
As a part of the election promises, Chief Minister KCR has mentioned that the assistance would be increased from Rs 4,000 to Rs 5,000 per acre per season, working out to Rs 10,000 per year from this fiscal.
The Centre’s farm assistance scheme is expected to cover about 12 crore farmers across the country, while Rythu Bandhu benefitted about 58 lakh farmers in Kharif alone.