Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday formally launched the implementation of Rs.75,000-crore Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme and distributed the first instalment of Rs 2,000 to over one crore farmers at Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh.
According to the reports, Prime Minister Modi today launched the PM-KISAN scheme by electronically transferring the first instalment of Rs.2,000 to selected farmers. The NDA government led by PM Narendra Modi had announced the PM-KISAN scheme in the interim Budget 2019-20, under which Rs.6,000 per year will be given in three instalments to 12 crore small and marginal farmers holding cultivable land up to two hectares.
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Targetting the previous UPA government, Prime Minister Modi said, “Previous governments made farmers cry to even obtain small benefits and these governments could never work for farmer’s benefit. Our govt has worked for the poor and farmers, we have worked hard to ensure that every help is extended to farmers so that by 2022 they can double their income.”
Dedicating the flagship scheme PM-Kisan, Prime Minister Modi said he felt privileged to transfer the first instalment under PM-KISAN scheme to 1.01 crore farmers today. PM Modi said that the first instalment of the cash transfer will be directly deposited to the bank accounts of farmers in the next few weeks.
“Nearly Rs 2021 crore have been transferred to the bank accounts of these farmers today. I have been told farmers from 21 centre-ruled states will benefit from the scheme. This is just the beginning. Under the scheme, nearly 75 thousand crore rupees is directly accessible to farmers ‘ accounts every year. The 12 crore small farmers in the country who have 5 acres or less land will benefit from it,” said PM Modi.
While openly attacking opposition-ruled states, the Prime Minister issued a warning to those states who have not submitted the list of beneficiary farmers. He warned them not to indulge in politics with the implementation of PM-Kisan. “If they don’t submit the list then farmers in their states will destroy them. You may be opposition parties but why do you have to play politics with farmers,” he said.
Further attacking the opposition parties, PM Modi accused that the previous governments of remembering farmers once in 5 years, just before elections. “They get a fever of loan waiver and distribute it as ‘revari” (dole) to garner votes….they did not know that Modi will expose them this time,” he said.
Amidst huge celebrations among the farmers present at the event, Prime Minister said that for his government, PM-Kisan scheme is not just an election promise. He added that he talked about it in Parliament only after making budgetary allocations for it.
The Prime Minister urged the farmers not to fall for any false rumours of opposition parties claiming that PM Modi will take back the money from the farmers after one year, he said, “this is your right and nobody, not even state governments can take it back”.
Criticising the politics behind the farm loan waivers announced by the Congress party, PM Modi said UPA government had promised loan waivers a decade back and failed to keep up its promise.
“For us also loan waivers would have been easy and convenient, we also could have distributed ‘rewri’ for political and election benefits, but we can’t commit such a crime. Loan waiver benefits only a select few,” said PM Narendra Modi.
The Prime Minister said his government was working with utmost honesty to provide all possible resources to help farmers double their incomes by 2022. Prime Minister Modi further added that there was no place for middlemen in h+is government. He highlighted the efforts of the NDA government to bring benefits to the farmers and stated that many irrigation projects have been planned along with increasing MSP for the agricultural produce to help the farmers.
“It is our government which meets the years old demand of farmers at MSP. More than 50% of the support price cost of 22 Rabi and Kharif crops has been fixed. Prime crop insurance scheme to save farmers from weathering has also been created,” said Modi.
PM Modi also said that a number of efforts are being made to the farmers to get fair prices of produce and lower their costs. The e-NAM platform is working to connect hundreds of markets across the country and will give the farmers the option to sell their produce online in any market in the country directly, said PM Modi.
“Earlier farmers could only take a loan of Rs one lakh without guarantee using the ‘kisan credit card’, they can now take a loan of Rs. 1,60,000 using the card. 17 lakh solar pumps will be provided for the help of farmers. They will not have to spend extra on irrigation,” he added.
