Banks told not to withhold Rythu Bandhu amounts

Reported cases of amounts adjusted against old dues

The State government has issued clear instructions to banks against withholding the amounts credited in the farmers’ accounts under Rythu Bandhu scheme. The instructions follow reports on instances that some banks were not allowing farmers to withdraw their Rythu Bandhu amount and were adjusting the same against old dues. Chief Minister K. Chandrasekhar Rao is understood to have taken a serious view of the reports and asked the Finance department officials to hold an emergency meeting with bankers. Finance Minister T. Harish Rao, accompanied by Chief Secretary Somesh Kumar, and Finance Principal Secretary K. Ramakrishna Rao, convened a meeting with bankers on Tuesday. The meeting asked the bankers to credit back any amount withheld or adjusted into the farmers’ accounts at the earliest.