LEADERS ARE JOINING FARM PROTESTS FOR POLITICAL MILEAGE: NARENDRA SINGH TOMAR

NEW DELHI: As the farmer protests rage on at Delhi’s border, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday released instalments of more than Rs 18,000 crore under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme to over nine crore beneficiary farmer families. Under the PM-Kisan scheme, a financial benefit of Rs 6,000 per year is being provided to the eligible beneficiary farmers, payable in three four-monthly instalments of Rs 2,000. Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar spoke exclusively to The Daily Guardian about the same. 

Q: PM Narendra Modi said that farmers in West Bengal are not getting the benefits of  PM-Kisan scheme. What do you have to say about it?

A: West Bengal has over 70 lakh farmers eligible for the scheme. If the government there were to join this scheme, within a year Rs 4,200 crore will be made available to the farmers of West Bengal. On Thursday, I wrote a letter to the West Bengal Chief Minister asking her to join this scheme.

Q: Many politicians are throwing their weight behind the farmer protests in Delhi. The Prime Minister has said that they’re going there for photo opportunities. Do you agree with him?

A: It’s becoming very evident that those politicians who are losing their ground at an alarming rate are using the farmer protest to gain mileage but sadly, even in this, they won’t be successful.

Q: How big is this scheme and how much does it help the farmer?

A: This is the largest scheme in the world in the agricultural sector. Nearly Rs 96 crore has been distributed to about 10.5 crore farmers till now under this scheme. In one year, there is a budget allocation of Rs 75 crore. It is an immensely important scheme for the downtrodden and underprivileged farmers of our country.