YSR Rythu Bharosa-PM Kisan: AP Farmers to get Rs 5,500 into their bank accounts on Friday

Amaravati: As many as 49 lakh farmers in Andhra Pradesh will get Rs 5,500 into their bank accounts on May 15, as first instalment under the YSR Rythu Bharosa-PM Kisan scheme.

The scheme is applicable to tenant farmers belonging to SC, ST, BC and minority communities and those farming endowment and forest lands.

The first instalment is being deposited as an incentive ahead of the kharif sowing season.

For the second consecutive year in a row, farmers will get financial assistance of

Rs 13,500 per annum in three phases, Rs 7,500 in the first phase, Rs 4,000 as the second instalment in October and Rs 2,000 as the final instalment will be credited on Sankranti.

The total amount to be credited into the farmers’ account as first instalment is Rs 3,675 crore.

As Rs 2,000 had already been credited into farmers’ accounts in April, the remaining Rs 5,500 would be transferred on May 15, for the financial year 2020-21.

Rythu Bharosa is one among the nine major promises, Navaratnalu, made by AP Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy during his padayatra.

In 2019-20, the AP government spent Rs 6,534 crore towards Rythu Bharosa-PM Kisan to pay the three instalments.

Initially, the scheme was designed to provide Rs 12,500 per annum for four years. However, keeping farmer’s welfare in view, the Chief Minister increased the financial assistance from Rs 12,500 to Rs 13,500 for a period of five years, instead of four years as the government was formed in June after the sowing season in May.

In addition to this, the AP state government has set up a helpline number 1902 for farmers to get update info on farming issues.

Besides, the state government went a step ahead to launch 10,641 Rythu Bharosa Kendras (RBK) on May 30, last year, to support farmers on various issues.

The RBKs will provide information on agriculture and related services and also function as crop procurement centre. RBKs will have digital kiosks and smart TVs to help the farmers stay updated about the latest developments in farming activities, get expert advice on market dynamics and new techniques to maximise crop yield.