BRS accuses Telangana govt of stopping Rythu Bima insurance scheme
The Bharat Rashtra Samithi (BRS) has accused the Congress government of Telangana of stopping the implementation of the Rythu Bima scheme, a group life insurance programme for landholding farmers, by deliberately not paying its premium. The accusation was made by former Agriculture Minister and BRS leader S. Niranjan Reddy on Thursday, who said the government had acted with "vengeance" against former Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao.
Rythu Bima was introduced by the previous BRS government as part of its farmer welfare initiatives. It is a group life insurance scheme under which each landholding farmer is insured for ₹5 lakh. The state government pays the entire premium, making it free for farmers. The scheme was launched in 2018 and has been renewed periodically. Until now, claims totalling ₹5,909.85 crore have been paid to 21,099 families, according to Mr. Niranjan Reddy. The scheme offers coverage irrespective of the cause of death, including accidents and illnesses, providing crucial financial support to bereaved families.
The BRS leader said the premium for the current policy period was due by August 15. He claimed that the state government has neither paid the premium nor issued any instruction regarding the scheme's future. This, he said, effectively means the scheme has been stopped without any formal announcement. The premium amount, he noted, has been borne by the state exchequer, and its non-payment could lead to the lapse of the policy. He alleged that the government's inaction was a vindictive move aimed at dismantling a popular programme associated with the previous administration.
Mr. Niranjan Reddy further alleged that the Congress government had decided to replace Rythu Bima with a new scheme, Intintiki Indiram Bima, which was announced to be implemented from June 2 this year. He said the government had advertised the new scheme through newspaper and television advertisements, spending crores of rupees, but no guidelines have been issued so far. He questioned the timing and transparency of the process, saying that farmers have been left in the dark.
Highlighting the popularity of Rythu Bima, the former minister noted that several landless families had purchased agricultural land specifically to become eligible for the insurance cover. This, he said, reflected the trust farmers placed in the scheme and its significance in the rural economy. He urged the government to reconsider its stance and ensure that farmers do not lose this protection.
The Telangana government has not yet issued a response to these allegations. Given the intense political rivalry between the BRS and the Congress, which assumed power in December 2023, the accusations are likely to sharpen the debate over the state's agricultural policies. The Congress government has its own welfare agenda, and it remains to be seen how it will handle the schemes initiated by the previous regime. The BRS had ruled the state for ten years, and the transition of power has brought several policy reviews. However, the specific decision regarding Rythu Bima has not been publicly announced.
Until an official clarification is issued, the status of Rythu Bima remains ambiguous. Farmers and their families, who have benefited from the scheme, await a clear decision from the government.
