Sent names of 2.5 lakh Bengal farmers to Centre for PM Kisan

A day after Prime Minister Narendra Modi slammed the TMC dispensation for not implementing centralschemes in West Bengal, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said on Monday her government has sent names of 2.5 lakh farmers tothe Centre for inclusion in PM-Kisan scheme but they were yetto get any benefit.

She sought to know why the Union government has yetnot disbursed any cash benefit to these eligiblebeneficiaries under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna.

Speaking in the legislative assembly, Banerjee said thestate government had received a list of six lakh applicantsfrom the centre for verification for inclusion in theprogramme, out of which 2.5 lakh names have been sent to themfor financial assistance under the central welfare programme.

After saying no to PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme for morethan a year, the West Bengal chief minister had last monthsoftened her government's stand and agreed to implement theproject in the state.

She had rebuffed the key central government farmersprogramme launched on February 24, 2019, opposing direct cashbenefit and instead insisted to route the funds through thestate government for disbursal among the farmers.

The BJP leaders have mocked Banerjee's change of heart toher fear of loosing farmers votes in the upcoming stateelections.

In the backdrop of ongoing farm agitation against the threenew agri laws, the famers issue is emerging as a dominantnarrative in the Bengal polls expected to take place inApril-May this year.

Banerjee was responding to questions raised by themembers of the assembly during a debate on a vote-on-accountthat she had presented on February 5.

With the state elections round the corner, Banerjee hadpresented a vote-on-account for Rs 2.99 lakh crore in theassembly and made a slew of announcements, including a hike inthe annual aid of farmers.

The chief minister has increased the annual financialassistance, under the state government's 'Krishak Bandhu'scheme to Rs 6,000 from Rs 5,000 keeping in mind theinterest of farmers.

She said that benefits of the central scheme should alsobe made available to the sharecroppers, along with supportprovided by the state to all cultivators, irrespective oftheir landholdings.

Under the PM Kisan scheme, Rs 6,000 per year in threeequal instalments is provided to small and marginal farmerfamilies having a combined landholding of up to two hectares.

Addressing a rally in Haldia on Sunday, the prime ministerhad assailed the state government for not implementing centralschemes like Ayushman Bharat and PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.

He had asserted that once the BJP forms its government inthe state, it will take steps to implement all such stalledprogrammes at the very first cabinet meeting.

Banerjee also said that her government would float 19industrial projects in the state, entailing an investment ofRs 72,200 crore, and create 3.29 lakh employment opportunities.