Farmers Movement Archive

Tenant farmers in debt trap

“The Government has no record of tenant farmers and no land owner has ever recognised a tenant farmer formally. In such a case, how can the government extend financial assistance of Rytu Bandhu to people who have no right on land?” asked Chief Minister K Chandrasekhar Rao during his address to Assembly on June 23, 2018. He also opined that this may lead to irrational demands from different sections in future. This October, the State witnessed heavy downpour for two days, creating chaos not only in the State capital but also in the districts. Golla Ashok is a farmer from Chandapur village in Sadashivapet mandal. He took five acres of land on lease for Rs. 48,000 per year. He has already paid the amount of lease. In addition, he spent Rs. 30,000 for each acre of cotton and the total amount spent by him for five acres reached to Rs. 1.5 lakh and the total debt for this season alone was Rs. 2 lakh. In this village there are more than 100 farmers and all of them have leased lands, ranging from one acre to 10 acres and cultivated cotton. Now all of them have debts to clear. “Mr. Chandrasekhar Rao says that there are no tenant farmers at all in the State and there was no record at all. But who are cultivating these lands when landlords are staying in towns and Hyderabad? Who is filling our plate and offering food security in the absence of landlord not taking up cultivation?” asked Mr. G. Jayaraj, district secretary, All India Kisan Sabha (AIKS), adding that till the formation Telangana, tenant farmers used to get loans and identity cards. Now, the tenant column was removed from revenue records, he said.

The Hindu

2020-10-18

CHANDAPUR,TELANGANA