Hyderabad: Caretaker Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao on Thursday announced that the government would distribute Rythu Bandu cheques to extend Rs 4,000 per acre financial assistance for the rabi season from October 5 as scheduled. Mr Rao made the announcement while addressing the TRS public meeting in Gadwal.
The Election Commission had stopped the distribution of Bathukamma saris following a complaint from the Opposition parties. The Opposition had also complained against the distribution of the cheques, stating that it would influence the voters, but the Election Commission had not responded, because of which the government decided to go ahead with it.
It is learnt that Chief Electoral Officer Rajat Kumar is rushing to New Delhi on Friday to meet Chief Election Commissioner O.P. Rawan on the Rythu Bandhu issue. Despite repeated attempts, Mr Kumar could not be contacted for comment.
When contacted, agriculture secretary C. Parthasarathy said, “We will launch Rythu Bandhu cheque distribution from October 5 as scheduled. We have no instructions from the EC to stop this programme. This is an old scheme. If the EC asks us to stop it later, we will act accordingly. As of now, the Rythu Bandhu scheme is on as scheduled.”
