India's debut farm investment support scheme was rolled out in Telangana but a large section of the farming community has been left out
INDIA'S NEWEST state Telangana is witnessing an agrarian experiment of sorts. It is the first state where the government is providing land-owning farmers monetary assistance even before they plant the first seed. The scheme has even attracted the attention of the prime minister as a way to achieve the target of doubling farm income by 2022.
The reason behind the initiative, named Rythu Bandhu Pathakam or Farmers Investment Support Scheme, is the extreme agrarian distress that the region has witnessed in the past two decades. Take the case of Pottipalli village in Sangareddy district. Well into the second month of the monsoon, the farmers are still waiting for a good spell of rain. The cotton-growing village has already undertaken sowing twice this year because the first attempt failed due to lack of rains. “Last year, untimely rain and pest attacks ensured that the village suffered a 100 percent loss. A lot of hope is on this season but we have already sown twice,” says 40-year-old Mallana Dakuri, who farms on about 5 hectares (ha), a little over 1 ha of which he has rented. The village has witnessed one suicide this year and there is an overwhelming feeling of helplessness all around.
Telangana has seen close to 1,000 farmer suicides every year since 2014, says Beeram Manjeera, president of Telangana Manjira Rythu Samakyi, a state-wide farmer organisation. The state’s first Chief Minister, K Chandrashekar Rao, came to power promising relief from agrarian distress and the government has spent ₹16,600 crore so far on loan waivers.
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber ? Sign In
This story is from the {{IssueName}} edition of {{MagazineName}}.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
Already a subscriber? Sign In
A SPRIG TO CARE FOR
Punarnava, a perennial herb, is easy to grow and has huge health benefits
DIGGING A DISASTER
Soapstone mining near Dabti Vijaypur village has caused many residents to migrate.
REVIEW THE TREATMENT
Several faecal sludge treatment plants in Uttar Pradesh suffer from design flaws that make the treatment process both expensive and inefficient
MAKE STEEL SUSTAINABLE
As India works to double its GDP by 2030, its steel industry must balance growth with sustainability. By embracing policies like the Steel Scrap Recycling Policy 2019 and adopting green technologies, India is paving the way for a more sustainable future in steel production
Can ANRF pull off the impossible for India?
Anusandhan National Research Foundation is expected to reorient India's innovation goals but funding issues, old mindsets remain a drag
TROUBLED WOODS
Forests are a great bulwark against climate change. But this is fast changing. AKSHIT SANGOMLA travels through some of the pristine patches of the Western Ghats to explore how natural disturbances triggered by global warming now threaten the forest health
BLINDING GLOW
The science is clear: increased illumination has damaging consequences for the health of humans, animals and plants. It’s time governments introduced policies to protect the natural darkness and improved the quality of outdoor lighting.
GROUND REALITY
What happens when the soil loses the ability to grow healthy, high-yield crops on its own?
GM POLICY MUST BE FARMER CENTRIC
On July 23, the Supreme Court of India directed the Union government to develop a national policy on genetically modified (GM) crops for research, cultivation, trade and commerce through public consultation.
Vinchurni's Gandhi
A 96-year-old farmer transforms barren land into a thriving forest in drought-prone region of Satara