Benefits of AP’s Rhythu Bharosa go beyond cash transfer: Study

The ‘YSR Rhythu Bharosa’ scheme of Andhra Pradesh has gone beyond Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to support farmers in the entire value chain, according to a study.

The study is being conducted by Swaniti Initiative, a New Delhi - Based Public Policy and Social Development Think Tank which is working on impact studies with several departments of the State government.

“The scheme cannot be viewed as mere DBT, as it has many components,” Krishna Kanuparthi, Research Development Associate, Swaniti Initiative told BusinessLine.

Rhythu Bharosa scheme was launched by Andhra Pradesh in October 2019. The scheme provides ₹13,500 to the farmers per annum. Over 44.92 lakh landowning farmers and 1.58 lakh tenants benefit through this scheme, as per latest Government data.

As per the preliminary findings of the study, the farmers see Rythu Bharosa as an amalgamation of several schemes where the procurement, sale, purchase and entire value chain are covered.

Space is hired for stockpiling the produce and RBK kiosks are deployed at the premises. “Also the tenant farmers are of the view that the scheme will provide financial security,” he said.

The organisation has conducted stakeholder consultations with several rounds of interviews with farmers, wage seekers and officials as part of their preliminary research. It also reached out to farmers in Epuru Mandal and Sailapuram Mandal in Guntur District.

The Swaniti Initiative and AP social Development Project( AP-SDP) has also been conducting Focus Group Discussions in virtual mode with farmers in Kadapa, Anantpur and Visakhapatnam districts as pilot research which will be scaled up to intense impact studies at field level in coming weeks.