Visakhapatnam: The agricultural department is gearing up to meet its dole targets starting from the Kharif season. A total 4,74,000 farmers will benefit from the Union government’s dole to farmers as well as the extra added by the state government.Sources in the agriculture department disclosed that a total 4,74,798 farmers plus another 16,000 tenant farmers stand to benefit from the ‘Annadata Sukhibhava’ scheme launched by the state government recently. Under this scheme there is no ceiling on the size of land holdings and even farmers who own more than five acres land will be provided Rs 10,000 per head under the scheme.Explaining the break-up, joint director agriculture, P Siva Prasad said, “Right now regular farmers will benefit from the scheme with immediate effect. Earlier the plan was to deposit the first instalment of Rs 4,000 under the Annadata Sukhibhava scheme in the bank accounts by March 1. However, the government has decided to deposit a sum of Rs 1,000 in the month of February itself and the remaining Rs 3,000 of the first deposit in the month of March.”Siva Prasad said that this was being done to ensure that the accounts can be replenished within a specific time gap and to avoid delay in payment.Giving out the actual figures Siva Prasad said, “There are 4,29,773 farmers with land holdings less than five acres in size. A total sum of Rs 644.65 crores is being spent, out of which, around Rs 257 crores will be borne by the Union government and the remaining Rs 386 crores plus by the state government. For farmers with land holdings more than five acres a total sum of around Rs 44 crores is being spent and a total 44,965 farmers have been identified.”Regarding the issue of tenant farmers, officials said that they still had time to make the payments as they would be made at the time of Kharif. They said that so far 16,000 tenant farmers have been identified and pointed out that tenant farmers owning even small land holdings will not benefit from this scheme.”Meanwhile, DRDA authorities are on their toes to ensure that they pay the pensions and the promised Pasupu Kumkuma sums.B Ram Mohan, in-charge PD, DRDA said, “There are a total 49,844 groups with a total membership of 5,41,999 members. The first instalment paid in the month of February amounted to Rs 135 crores at Rs 2,500 per head, the second instalment which is going to be paid from March 8 onwards would be on roughly Rs 150 crores, the final payment in April would amount to a total of Rs 216 crores, making a total Rs 542 crores.Regarding pensions, officials noted that there are 4,13,892 beneficiaries who are paid a total of around Rs 82.7 crores. The district also has 27,000 unemployed members who draw a monthly sum of Rs 2,000 per month which comes up to a total of Rs 5.4 crores.

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