Revanth tears into BRS rule, accuses it of misusing ₹22,606 crore under Rythu Bandhu scheme

During a short discussion on ‘Rythu Bharosa’ in the State Assembly on Saturday, initiated by Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao, the CM criticised the BRS’s suggestion to extend assistance to all the people who own the farmlands without cultivable conditions. He assured the Assembly that his government is committed to the welfare of genuine farmers and is open to constructive suggestions that ensure public funds are utilized effectively under the Rythu Bharosa scheme.

Mr. Reddy alleged that the previous BRS government facilitated undue benefits for realtors and industrialists through the Rythu Bandhu scheme. “The scheme, intended as an investment assistance programme for farmers, was misused. Even individuals who parted with their lands for highways, owners of stone crushers, realtors, industrialists, fake pattadar passbook holders and other non-cultivators received ₹22,606 crore in assistance,” he said.

Criticising the Opposition’s demand for unrestricted implementation of the Rythu Bharosa scheme, he reiterated that the scheme’s primary objective is to support real farmers. “I am open to suggestions, including those from the party that ruled for 10 years. The goal is to ensure that benefits reach the intended recipients,” he said.

The CM also took a dig at former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao for his absence from the Assembly. “The leader of the Opposition is avoiding the House, perhaps out of shame for his administration’s wrongdoings that plunged the State into a financial crisis,” Mr. Reddy said.

Rise in suicides

Highlighting the previous regime’s failure to prevent farmer suicides, Mr. Reddy revealed statistics showing that Telangana had the second-highest number of farmer suicides in the country during the BRS government’s tenure. “In 2014, 898 farmers committed suicide; in 2015, the number was 1,358; and in 2016, 632 farmers ended their lives. These figures, which I obtained from Parliament as an MP in 2019, reflect the grim reality under BRS rule,” he stated, urging the Opposition to apologise to the farming community.

Providing a comparative analysis on the farm loan waiver, Mr. Reddy criticised the BRS government for deceiving the farmers. “In their first five years, the BRS waived loans worth ₹16,143 crore. In their second term, they claimed to waive ₹11,909 crore, but ₹8,515 crore of that amount went towards interest payments. The actual loan waiver was only ₹3,384 crore,” he said.

In contrast, Mr. Reddy highlighted his government’s swift action. “Within 27 days of assuming office, the Congress government waived loans worth ₹20,616 crore, benefitting 25,35,963 farmers. This is unprecedented in the country,” he added.

The Chief Minister criticised the BRS government for Telangana’s ballooning debt. “Under BRS rule, the State’s debt soared to ₹7.11 lakh crore, compared to ₹72,000 crore accumulated by 16 chief ministers over six decades before the State’s formation,” he said. Accusing the BRS leaders of financial misconduct, he called them ‘economic terrorists’ and said they should be held accountable.

Mr. Reddy also criticised the BRS for its lack of gratitude toward Congress leader Sonia Gandhi, under whose leadership Telangana was granted Statehood. He accused the BRS of leveraging the State’s creation for personal gain while failing to deliver on promises of equitable development and governance.