E-Paper
Telangana farmers growing cannabis to lose government benefits
Several farmers of Telangana, who have been found growing ganja (cannabis) secretly as an inter-crop to make big money, would be ineligible for getting financial assistance under Rythu Bandhu scheme of the state government.
Several farmers of Telangana, who have been found growing ganja (cannabis) secretly as an inter-crop to make big money, would be ineligible for getting financial assistance under Rythu Bandhu scheme of the state government, besides facing the penal action, an official from the state excise department said.
The Telangana government has been extending financial assistance of ₹10,000 per acre to each farmer every year under the Rythu Bandhu scheme towards crop investment. Over 66 lakh farmers are getting the assistance under the scheme and in the 2022-23 budget, the state government earmarked ₹14,000 crore for the scheme.
Following a review meeting by chief minister K Chandrasekhar Rao in the last week of January on prevention of production, transport and supply of narcotics in the state, the excise department began crackdown on cannabis cultivators in the state.
“Based on specific inputs, we conducted a series of raids in various places. We found that several farmers are indulging in cultivation of ganja (cannabis) stealthily as an inter-crop in their respective fields, while enjoying the financial assistance from the government under Rythu Bandhu,” an excise official familiar with the development said.
The department has recently written to the state government requesting that benefits under Rythu Bandhu scheme be stopped for as many as 148 farmers who were identified so far as cultivating cannabis in their fields. “During the review meeting, the chief minister clearly instructed that farmers who cultivate cannabis should be denied cash assistance under Rythu Bandhu,” the official said.
The farmers cultivating ganja are from different areas like Narayankhed, Mahabubabad, Zaheerabad, Warangal, Bhupalpally, Nalgonda, Suryapet, Adilabad and Asifabad districts.
“So far, cases have been booked against 121 of them under provisions of the Narcotic Drugs and Psychotropic Substances (NDPS) Act. Investigation is going on with regard to other farmers,” the official said.
However, the authorities found that the farmers were cultivating ganja only in smaller quantities, not in huge areas. “Yet, it is a punishable offence,” he said.
The details of the farmers including their Aadhar cars and land particulars have been sent to the district collectors, so that they would be denied the Rythu Bandhu benefits from next Kharif season in June, the official said.
