Hyderabad: The cabinet sub-committee on Rythu Bharosa crop input financial assistance has decided to extend the benefits of the scheme only to farmers actively cultivating their lands. Beneficiaries will be identified based on official surveys and satellite maps.

On Thursday, January 2, the cabinet sub-committee chaired by deputy chief minister Bhatti Vikramarka, ministers Ponguleti Srinivas Reddy, D Sridhar Babu and Thummala Nageswara Rao, held yet another meeting to discuss the modalities of Rythu Bharosa scheme.

Earlier, chief minister A Revanth Reddy had disclosed that Rs 22,606 crore out of the Rs 72,816 crore, by the former BRS government, was disbursed into the accounts of ineligible persons through the Rythu Bandhu scheme for lands not under cultivation.

As per reports, the state government will be implementing the scheme from January 14. Applications from prospective beneficiaries will be invited from January 5 to 7.

During the discussion, ministers opined that the Rythu Bharosa amount needed to be free from income tax, and that there should be no ceiling on the amount of land eligible for the benefit. It was also discussed to maintain the status quo on the amount promised by the Congress government to farmers on Rythu Bharosa during the 2023 Assembly elections. However, the ministers still differed on this issue.

The cabinet sub-committee will submit recommendations to the state cabinet, which will take a final decision on the modalities for Rythu Bharosa during the cabinet meeting scheduled to take place on Saturday, January 4.