HYDERABAD: At least 47 lakh

in

will be eligible for both the state’s

scheme and the Centre’s

, according to the state’s agriculture department.

The big question, however, is how will the two direct benefit transfer scheme be implemented. Will eligible land-owning farmers in Telangana get the benefits of both schemes – Rs 10,000 per acre from the state government and Rs 6,000 from the Centre annually – or will the state cut back on its scheme?

Senior government officials in Telangana say that the chief minister will take a call on the issue. “The central government will directly send its amount into the accounts of farmers. We are working on the numbers at present but the chief minister will take a decision soon,” said Chitla Parthasardhi, Telangana’s principal secretary, agriculture. According to him, besides beneficiaries of both schemes, another 10 lakh farmers are eligible for only Rythu Bandhu.

As per the central scheme, farmers having up to five acres of land will get Rs 6,000 annually. Rythu Bandhu, on the other hand, gives all land owners Rs 10,000 per acre annually without any cap. In both cases, tenant farmers are not eligible for the benefits.

Agriculture department had sent a Rs 12,000 crore proposal for the implementation of the scheme for the kharif and rabi seasons for

. Last year, the state government had spent Rs 10,000 crore on the scheme.

Officials estimate that if the state government deducts Rs 6,000 – the Centre’s share – from Ryuthu Bandhu, it can save about Rs 2,700 crore to Rs 3,000 crore annually. Sources, however, say it will be difficult for the TRS regime to cut back on Rythu Bandhu benefits in any form as the move can backfire politically.

“The scheme announced by the Centre is inferior compared to ours as it backs farmers without any preconditions. It is too early to decide on how to implement the two schemes. We have to get detailed guidelines and then the CM will take a call,” said Gutha Sukhendar Reddy, chairman of the Rythu Samnvaya Samiti, which coordinates between the Telangana government and farmers.