Venkaiah Naidu wants rice or wheat procurement bonus to reach sub-tenant farmers

Rajya Sabha Chairman M Venkaiah Naidu on Friday asked the government to study the possibility of ensuring that bonus if announced on rice or wheat procurement reaches even the sub-tenant farmers. The issue was raised during the Question Hour by Congress leader Chhaya Verma from Chhattisgarh who said tenant farmers are not getting a bonus and sought to know if the Centre will put in place some mechanism to protect such farmers.

To this, Minister of State for Food C R Chaudhary said, "There is no provision (to transfer bonus to bank accounts of) for sub-tenant farmers." If 2-3 tenant farmers together register one bank account, then payment is distributed proportionately, he said. Expressing concern over the issue, Naidu asked Food Minister Ram Vilas Paswan to take action in this regard. "This is a practical and sensitive issue. You please study on this. You know what happens in villages," Naidu said. Paswan agreed and said, "I will meet you in this regard."

(With inputs from agencies.)