Mamata Asks Tomar for Funds Under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme

PM Narendra Modi said he would initiate another installment of the DBT scheme on 25 December to eligible farmers.

File image of West Bengal CM Mamata Banerjee.

(Photo: PTI)

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on 21 December wrote a letter to Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar to release requisite funds to her state government for disbursement to eligible farmers, and has stated that her state will submit a list of beneficiaries to the Centre after.

The West Bengal CM has said that 73 lakh farmers are to be benefited under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, reported news agency ANI.

PM Narendra Modi announced on Friday that he would initiate another installment of the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme on 25 December to eligible farmers. The My Gov Instagram handle of the state put up a post saying that the PM will transfer Rs 18,000 crore to the bank accounts of 9 crore farmers.

The My Gov Instagram handle of the state put up a post saying that the PM would transfer 18,000 crore to the bank accounts of 9 crore farmers.Photo Courtesy: My Gov India’s Instagram

What Is PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana Scheme?

The Narendra Modi-led government had started the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana to give ‘minimum income support’ to small and marginal farmers of the country. The scheme was launched in February 2019, ahead of the Lok Sabha elections.

Under this scheme, farmers falling into a scale fixed by the government are transferred an amount of Rs 6,000 every year. This money is deposited in three installments, of Rs 2,000 each.

Mamata Slams Home Minister Amit Shah For His Remarks

Home Minister Amit Shah slammed CM Mamata Banerjee and her party Trinamool Congress and alleged that the TMC chief raked up “outsider-insider issues” to divert the public from the real issues of her state, reported PTI.

He said that despite Banerjee’s vocal support for the farmers’ protest, the West Bengal CM has not sent across a list of farmer beneficiaries to the Centre, thereby not letting farmers receive the 6,000 rupees they are due. He said, “Twenty-three lakh farmers of Bengal have requested online for PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. Mamata di prevents them from getting it by not giving them actual certification. She is not even sending a list of farmers to the Centre,” quoted PTI.

Shah blamed the TMC chief and party for the low economic growth of the state, by saying, "Bengal's per-person income was nearly double of but now it is not even half of India's business capital. Who's responsible for this?" reported PTI.

The Home Minister blamed TMC for the attack on JP Nadda’s convoy, calling it "unconstitutional and unacceptable". Speaking of CAA, he said the rules will be framed once the COVID-19 vaccines begin and the pandemic cycle breaks.

Banerjee responded to the allegations on 21 December saying, “Amit Shah has spoken garbage of lies yesterday. He claimed our state is ‘zero’ in industry but we’re number one in MSME sector. He claimed we couldn’t build rural roads but we’re number one in that. This is Govt of India’s information”, quoted ANI.

She added ,”BJP is a 'cheatingbaaz' party, for politics they can do anything. We have been opposing CAA since it was passed as law. They (BJP) can't decide the fate of citizens, let them decide their own fate. We are against CAA, NPR and NRC,” quoted ANI.

Addressing Shah’s allegations on the declining economy of her state, Banerjee said, “You're home minister, it doesn't suit you to shell out lies,” quoted PTI.

(With inputs from PTI and ANI)