Farmers engaged in dryland horticulture await financial aid

Many farmers in Anantapur district, engaged in dryland horticulture, are nonetheless ready for the financial aid sanctioned by the Central authorities below the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme.

At least ₹87.47 crore was sanctioned for planting and cultivating the crops below the scheme, however lots of the 13,700 beneficiaries are but to obtain it even after two years.

While 23,320 acres had been lined below this scheme in the 2019-20 financial 12 months benefiting 8,100 farmers, 16,061 acres had been lined benefiting 5,607 beneficiaries in the 12 months 2020-21. The farmers planted mango, candy lime, cheeku, pomegranate, amongst others.

The Puucho visited Patha Bathalapalli, a village in Nallamada mandal, the place the farmers had planted mango saplings in December 2019 and had been nurturing them by shopping for water from tankers as groundwater was not out there.

“We got some respite during the monsoon, and some people were lucky as their borewells turned functional after the groundwater levels improved this year,” says Pulivendula Chittamma, one of many beneficiaries. She and her husband had planted mango saplings in two acres, procuring them at ₹150 per sapling. They planted 150 saplings in two acres.

Similar is the case with Gangulamma and C. Narasimhulu in the village, who’ve sown mango saplings in two acres and three acres respectively and had acquired some cash for pitting operations, however had been ready for the bigger chunk of the quantity on account of them. “With the financial year coming to an end, we are worried if our bills would be sanctioned,” explains Narasimhulu.

They didn’t go for the common NREGS work as all mandays get commuted below this scheme for elevating the mango vegetation for 3 years.

Nallamada mandal has 12 Gram Panchayats and 197 farmers had registered below the scheme for 2020-21 overlaying 197 acres, mentioned Field Assistant M. Ganesh. Patha Bathalapalli alone has 42 farmers cultivating horticulture crops below the scheme in 111.94 acres and for the three-year interval, they might be paid ₹31 lakh for the price of saplings, pitting, including fertilizer, transportation, and technical help on elevating the crops.

Mr. Ganesh mentioned beneficiaries would get their cash because it has been sanctioned and partially paid. But for causes unknown, there was a delay in fee.