Former Supreme Court judge Justice B Sudarshan Reddy, who contested for the Vice-Presidential elections early this year, made an interesting observation that the the Central and state governments to ensure that agricultural welfare schemes benefit only those who actively cultivate land, rather than all landowners irrespective of whether they engage in farming.
Addressing a round-table conference on tenant farmers' issues in Hyderabad, Justice Sudarshan Reddy made a strong case for policy reforms aimed at supporting actual cultivators, particularly poor and tenant farmers who often remain outside the ambit of government assistance.
He emphasized that agricultural subsidies, fertilizers, crop loans, insurance coverage, and minimum support price benefits should be extended only to those who are genuinely engaged in farming and crop production.
Justice Sudarshan Reddy recounted a personal experience to highlight flaws in the implementation of welfare schemes.
He said that despite being a retired Supreme Court judge who receives a monthly pension, owns a residence, and pays income tax on his earnings, he was listed as a beneficiary under the state's Rythu Bharosa scheme.
Questioning the rationale behind extending farm assistance to financially secure individuals like himself, he said he spent nearly two months approaching officials to have his name removed from the beneficiary list.
"Farmers are complaining that they are not receiving Rythu Bharosa assistance, while I was trying to refuse the benefits," he remarked.
According to him, officials initially responded that they were bound by existing rules and could not make changes. However, after persistent follow-up, his name was eventually removed from the beneficiary database.
The former judge argued that such instances demonstrate the need for better targeting of agricultural welfare programmes.
He maintained that public resources should be directed toward those who genuinely depend on farming for their livelihood rather than individuals who merely own agricultural land.
Justice Sudarshan Reddy also called upon the Telangana government to honour commitments made to tenant farmers, including promises contained in the Warangal Declaration announced by Revanth Reddy during his tenure as Telangana Pradesh Congress Committee president.
He urged the state government to formulate a comprehensive policy framework that recognizes tenant farmers, protects their interests, and ensures that welfare benefits reach those who actually cultivate the land.
