Hyderabad: Telangana government is gearing up to repay pending dues of the Rythu Bandhu scheme as the Prime Minister’s Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme has been announced by the Union government. The first installment is to be issued by March 2019.

Telangana state farmers are eagerly waiting for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections as the state government and central governments are in competition announcing sops.

TRS government under its previous reign could not complete the implementation of the scheme as the election code of conduct was in vogue. A total of 3,00,000 farmers are to be paid for the rabi season. Back in the day, the state government paid Rs 4,724 crore to 50,00,000 farmers. A total of Rs 400 crore is required to finish the total payments, the agriculture department is waiting for a nod from the finance department.

Talking to an English daily, the Principal Secretary, agriculture department, C Parthasarathi said, “We are waiting for funds to clear the dues of the rabi season to farmers. Whenever the finance department releases the funds we will pay the farmers.”

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