Driving Naari Programme launched in Chandigarh
New Delhi, May 14
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday released the eighth instalment of over Rs 20,000 crore to more than 9.5 crore farmer beneficiaries under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme on Friday.
Prime Minister Modi released Rs 2,06,67,75,66,000 to 9,50,67,601 beneficiary farmers, including Rs 3,53,71,26,000 to 17,56,246 farmers in Punjab and Rs 3,56,15,90,000 to 17,29,311 farmers in Haryana.
Under the PM-KISAN scheme, the government is providing Rs 6,000 in three equal instalments to 14 crore farmers annually. The amount is directly transferred into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries through direct benefit transfer (DBT) mode.
The PM also interacted with some beneficiaries across the country via video conferencing. He appreciated Arvind from Unnao in Uttar Pradesh for providing training to young farmers of his region on organic farming and new farming techniques and Patrick from Car Nicobar in Andaman and Nicobar Islands for large-scale organic farming.
He also praised N Vennurama from Anantapur in Andhra Pradesh for guiding more than 170 Adivasi farmers of her region, Revistar from Meghalaya for producing spices like ginger powder, turmeric, cinnamon, etc in the hilly areas of Meghalaya, and Khurshid Ahmed from Srinagar who cultivates vegetables like capsicum, green chilies and cucumber organically.
The prime minister said for the first time the farmers of West Bengal would be getting the benefit of this scheme. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar, who was present on the occasion, said West Bengal has joined the scheme with more than 7 lakh farmers of the state getting the benefit today.
The PM lauded the efforts of the farmers who have made a record produce in food grains and horticulture amidst the difficulties during this pandemic and helping in the government’s efforts towards providing free grains.
He said the government is also setting new records in procurement at MSP every year. Paddy procurement at MSP had set new records and now wheat procurement at MSP is also setting new records.
So far this year, about 10 per cent more wheat has been procured at MSP, compared to last year, and about Rs 58,000 crores for wheat procurement has reached the farmers’ account directly.
In this context, he also mentioned Punjab and Haryana where the farmers are receiving the MSP via DBT for the first time. Notably, farmers from the two states have been agitating against the three central farm laws and demanding a separate law for the MSP.
The PM said the government is constantly trying to provide new solutions and new options in farming. Promoting organic farming is also one of such efforts.
Organic farming delivers more profit and is now being practiced across the nation by young farmers, he said, adding that organic farming is being practiced on both banks of Ganga and within a radius of about 5 kilometres, so that the hold river remains clean.
Over Rs 1.15 lakh crore has been transferred to beneficiary farmers so far under the PM-KISAN scheme, launched on February 24, 2019, according to the government.
