Farmers Movement Archive

Amid protests, UP taps kisan scheme

Lucknow: Amid the ongoing protests by farmers against Centre’s new farm laws, the Uttar Pradesh government identified over 2.16 crore farmers, who would be paid Rs 6,000 each under Centre’s flagship Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi. The fresh traction in the agriculture sector to assuage farmers comes close on heels of government’s direct purchase of 1.5 times more crop than last year with a stinker to mandis to pay up farmers within 72 hours. A government spokesperson said, UP government has sent data of 2.16 crore farmers to the Centre for approval, making room for inflow of over Rs 4,333 crore financial support to farmers. Under the PM’s Kisan programme, vulnerable landholding farmer families with cultivable land up to 2 hectares will be given direct income support of Rs 6,000 per year. The money will be transferred directly to bank accounts of beneficiary farmers in three equal instalments of Rs 2,000 each. Farmers would receive financial support at the time of investment in rabi, kharif and zayed crops, the spokesperson said. The Rs 75,000-crore scheme was launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in February 2019 from Gorakhpur, the home turf of chief minister Yogi Adityanath. UP has the highest number of beneficiary farmers in the country. According to officials, over 2.35 crore farmers have received Rs 22,594 crore. The central government is in talks with farmers protesting against three farm legislations and BJP has stepped up attack on opposition parties, accusing them of misleading farmers for political capital.

The Times of India

2020-12-09

Lucknow