Harish Slams Congress Government for Halting Rythu Bima Premium Payments

 Hyderabad: The BRS on Saturday severely criticized the state government for not paying the premium to LIC of India for the Rythu Bima programme this year. In a statement, senior BRS leader T. Harish Rao said, “it is absolutely wicked on part of the Congress government to try and water down a critical welfare programme for farmers in Telangana. It has been three months since the premium of Rs 775 crore was due but the state government is yet to pay this.”

The premium, he said, was due in February this year, and the neglect on part of the Congress government yet again demonstrated how it did not care for farmers or their welfare. “Rythu Bima was introduced by the BRS government to ensure families of any farmer who loses his life will receive Rs 5 lakh in insurance amount. There are serious doubts if the scheme is still continuing or not,” he said.

Harish Rao said “information we have indicates that around 100 farmers lost their lives in Telangana in the past three months due to various causes. But their families did not receive the insured amounts as the government did not pay the premium. The BRS demands that the government immediately ensure the premium is paid and the Rythu Bima scheme is continued and all beneficiaries receive the insured amounts.”