Farmers' body blames Centre and WB govt for PM-Kisan scheme dues

A farmers body on Tuesday lashedout at both the Centre and West Bengal governments for playingpolitics over paying the lawful dues to more than 70 lakhcultivators of the state under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Schemesince February 2019.

It demanded coordination at a war footing to save thefarmers in the state.

All India Kisan Sangharsh Coordination Committee(AIKSCC) condemned non-payment of Rs 12,000 due to everyfarmer family of Bengal under the scheme and BJPs attempts tolink payment to its electoral success.

AIKSCC also announced 'Kisan Adhikar Yatra' by itsconstituent organisations with the first from February 10-12in the Sunderbans followed by others across the state.

This non-payment of dues to farmers is a politicalgame played by the TMC government in the state and theBJP-led government at the Centre ... Six instalments of Rs2000 (aggregating to Rs 12,000) have become due to Bengalfarmers, a statement by the farmers' body said.

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

Unfortunately since inception (of the scheme),farmers of Bengal have been deprived of payment under thescheme because the state government had failed to certify theland records of applicant farmers and the Centre has not usedresources and databases at its disposal to overcome theobstacles ... to ensure that Bengal farmers receive thepayment, it said.

On Monday Mamata Banerjee had claimed that the stategovernment had already sent names of 2.5 lakh farmers to theCentre for inclusion in the PM-Kisan scheme but they were yetto get any benefit.

AIKSCC in its statement expressed shock and dismay atPrime Minister Narendra Modis announcement at a rally inHaldia on Sunday that once BJP forms the government in Bengalafter the state election, it will take all steps to implementall stalled programmes like Ayushman Bharat and PM KisanSamman Nidhi.

The prime minister had held Banerjee responsible fordepriving farmers of the state of the benefits of the PM-Kisan scheme. He had said more than 23 lakh farmers of Bengalhad applied online to take advantage of the scheme, which waslaunched in February 2019, but the state government hadstopped the verification process.

Banerjee had rebuffed the key farmers programme of theCentre opposing direct cash. It had instead insisted to routethe funds through the state government for disbursal among thefarmers. She had last month softened her government's standand agreed to implement the PM-Kisan project in the state.