New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi released Friday the eighth installment of over Rs 20,000 crore to more than 9.5 crore farmer beneficiaries. This funds were released under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme via video-conferencing. This incidentally was the first installment for farmers in West Bengal. Immediately after the release of the funds, West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said that PM was forced to release funds due to the BJP’s defeat in the state.
Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar was also present on the occasion. He said West Bengal has joined the scheme with more than seven lakh farmers of the state getting the benefit.
Under the PM-KISAN scheme, the government is providing Rs 6,000 in three equal installments to 14 crore farmers annually. The amount is directly transferred into the bank accounts of the beneficiaries through direct benefit transfer (DBT) mode.
An amount of over Rs 1.15 lakh crore has been transferred to farmer beneficiaries so far under the PM-KISAN scheme. The programme was launched February 24, 2019.
PM Modi also interacted with five farmers from the states of Uttar Pradesh, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya, Jammu and Kashmir.
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Modi also congratulated the farmers of West Bengal for becoming a part of the scheme. He said that the interests of the farmers are his prime concern.
The prime minister also talked about the raging pandemic in the country. “We are facing invisible enemy. We are fighting it on war-footing mode and we will come out victorious in this battle,” asserted Modi. He also asked states to take action against black-marketing of medicines and essential supplies. He added that Covid-19 is spreading quickly in rural India so villagers must take necessary precautions including wearing masks.