PM Kisan: 'Hope sense prevails on opposing states'

Taking a dig at the states that have not enrolled with the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Yojana (PMKSY), Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday said that such petty politics had done great damage to the agrarian community.

Speaking at a public function at Junior College grounds here, he said, “I expect that in the new year, those states which are not associated with the Kisan Samman Yojana will at least become a part of it this year.”

Modi said political considerations by the state governments in implementing the PMKSY has caused severe loss to the poor farmers. “Such politics has never strengthened the farmers. Our government understood your (farmers’) needs, requirements and your aspirations and accordingly tried to implement the schemes,” he said.

At the event, the prime minister disbursed Rs 12,000 crore, under Kisan Samman Nidhi, to 6 crore beneficiaries, and presented Krishi Karmanya awards to the deserving farmers and states.

Modi said his government never saw agriculture in fragments but in its totality. Claiming his government has ensured that the entire money reached the poor beneficiaries, prime minister hit out at the previous governments, when middlemen ruled the roost. “There was a time when a rupee was rolled out (by the government) for the poor person, only 15 paise would reach him. The middlemen would pocket the remaining 85 paise. “Today, whatever money is dispatched from Delhi, the entire amount directly reaches the bank account of the beneficiary,” he said.

He told the gathering about the various initiatives taken by his government to improve the agriculture sector such as completing the pending irrigation schemes, soil health card and 100% neem-coating in urea.

Due to the initiatives of the government, agriculture production has gone up, he said. Speaking about measures in the fisheries sector, the prime minister said the sector has been promoted in the villages, financial help given to fishermen, modernisation of boats and building fisheries-related infrastructure have been done.