Hyderabad: With farmers preparing for the kharif season, the state government has decided to release the Rythu Bharosa input assistance on June 30. Simultaneously, it has advised farmers not to begin sowing immediately after the first rain spell, but to wait for at least two spells of 7 mm rainfall each to ensure sufficient soil moisture.
Digital Cabinet Meeting
The decision was made during an informal cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister A Revanth Reddy at the secretariat on Thursday. For the first time, the meeting was conducted in a paperless digital format, with ministers provided tablets to access cabinet agenda notes and documents. The tablets were handed over by the CM and IT and Industries Minister D Sridhar Babu. Physical copies will no longer be circulated.
Key Discussions
Briefing the media after the meeting, ministers N Uttam Kumar Reddy, Tummala Nageswara Rao, and D Anasuya (Seethakka) said discussions focused on Rythu Bharosa, paddy procurement, availability of seeds and fertilizers, the proposed Viksit Bharat–Guarantee for Rozgar and Ajeevika Mission (VB-G Ram G), Hyderabad Metro Rail financing, and other issues.
Rythu Bharosa Launch
Revanth Reddy will formally launch the Rythu Bharosa disbursement at a public meeting in Madhira, Khammam district, on June 30. The financial assistance will be credited directly into farmers' bank accounts on the same day.
Paddy Procurement Policy
The cabinet also decided that the state would procure paddy and other crops strictly in accordance with the procurement quota and minimum support price (MSP) announced by the Centre. Officials said the move aimed to prevent procurement-related difficulties for farmers in the future. Uttam Kumar Reddy said the government would continue to pay a bonus of Rs 500 per quintal for seven varieties of fine rice, which account for nearly 83% of the fine rice cultivated in the state and enjoy strong market demand beyond the government procurement system.
"We have requested the Centre to procure the entire paddy output of Telangana," he said. He added that henceforth, the state would procure only those crops for which the Centre declares MSP and undertakes procurement, and only to the extent of the quota fixed by it.
Fertilizer Demand
Agriculture Minister Tummala Nageswara Rao urged the Centre to allocate additional fertilizer supplies to Telangana. "Since Ramagundam Fertiliser Corporation of India (FCI) is located in Telangana, the Centre should allocate more quota to the state instead of sending it to MP or Bihar." He said a delegation of ministers would soon visit Delhi to renew the demand.
VB-G Ram G Scheme
On the VB-G Ram G scheme, the cabinet opposed the Centre's move to recast the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme. "The state will urge the Centre to continue the existing employment guarantee law without any changes. A cabinet sub-committee will study the impact of the new law on labourers and on the state," Seethakka said.
The cabinet sub-committee, comprising Uttam Kumar Reddy, Tummala Nageswara Rao, Seethakka, and Vivek Venkataswamy, will examine the implications of the proposed reforms. The panel will study developments in other states, assess the financial impact on Telangana, and recommend the state's future course of action.
