UP Cabinet nod to scheme to give financial help to kin of farmers who die working in fields

The Uttar Pradesh Cabinet on Tuesday gave its nod to a scheme for providing financial assistance to the family of farmers who die or become handicapped while working in fields.

Under the 'Mukhyamantri Krishak Durghatna Kalyan Yojana', if a farmer or any member of his family dies while working in a field then they will be given Rs 5 lakh, UP Cabinet ministers Shrikant Sharma and Siddhartha Nath Singh told reporters here.

If they become 60 per cent handicapped or more, then Rs 2 two lakh will be given. The scheme will cover Famers and his family members in the age group of 18-70 years, and will be implemented from September 14, 2019, the ministers said.

The number of beneficiaries of this scheme is expected to be around 2.38 crore. The scheme will also be applicable for the farmers who work in the field of other persons, and share the crop after it is harvested.

The Cabinet meeting, presided by Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, also approved the new excise policy for 2020-21 under which the licence fee for country-made liquor has been increased 10 per cent, the licence fee for beer increased by 15 per cent and licence fee for foreign liquor hiked by 20 per cent.