The Andhra Pradesh government on March 6 (Wednesday) released ₹1,294.58 crore towards input subsidy. It would benefit 11.57 lakh farmers who had lost their crops due to drought in 2023 and Michaung cyclone in December that year.
Releasing the amount at a programme held at his camp office here, Chief Minister Y.S. Jagan Mohan Reddy said Andhra Pradesh “is the only State paying input subsidy to the farmers for the crop loss in the same season.”
Out of the total subsidy, ₹847 crore would be paid to 6.96 lakh farmers hit by drought in 103 mandals of seven districts, while the remaining was for the benefit of 4.61 lakh farmers who suffered losses due to cyclone.
The government had, in the last five years, disbursed ₹3,262 crore as input subsidy to 34.41 lakh farmers who had lost their crops due to natural calamities, he said.
Referring to the loss suffered due to the cyclone, the Chief Minister said the government had purchased 3,25,000 tonnes of discolored paddy. “Financial assistance under Rythu Bharosa is benefiting 87% of the farmers who own less than one hectare of land as it helps them meet 80% of the cultivation expenses,” he said.
The previous government had paid only ₹3,411 crore to 30.85 lakh farmers as crop insurance during its five-year term, while the YSRCP government paid ₹7,802 crore to 54.55 lakh farmers under the head so far, the Chief Minister said.
Agriculture Minister K. Govardhana Reddy and Chief Secretary K.S. Jawahar Reddy were among others present.
