Farmers Movement Archive

UP to launch block-leveloutreach prog for farmers

LUCKNOW: Even as massive protests by farmers against the new farm laws continues in the National Capital Region, the UP government is going to launch a major programme to connect with farmers at the block level. Named Mission Kisan Samman Yojana, the scheme is being finalized and should be announced formally this week. A senior government official said that since the Covid-19 lockdown in March, most of the interaction with farmers was online. Now that the situation had started easing out, direct contact would be made with farmers, following all Covid-19 protocols of social distancing etc. “The government will be setting up camps in all blocks where it will reach out to farmers and inform them about various schemes being run by both the state and central governments,” said a senior government official. “It will also educate them about the improvements in technology, new technology and, where necessary, also provide direct benefit on the spot,” the offcial added. To showcase the government’s commitment to farmers and undercut opposition criticism of the farm laws being against farmers’ welfare, Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath has addressed farmers’ issues in most of his public addresses. The UP government has also said that it has made historic payments to paddy, sugarcane and wheat farmers over the past four years, which includes the arrears of the previous Samajwadi Party government. “This new scheme will be an opportunity for the government to convince farmers that the new laws are not against them and in fact, the government has taken several steps for their welfare,” said a senior official.

The Times of India

2020-12-16

Lucknow