Raipur, Oct 13 (PTI) Chhattisgarh government todayannounced to give bonus of Rs 270 crore to 'tendu' leavescollectors in the state.
Over 13 lakh tendu leaves collectors will bebenefitted with bonus after Diwali, Chief Minister Raman Singhsaid today during 'Bonus Tihar (festival)' programme inJagdalpur town of Bastar district.
The announcement comes at a time when the ruling BJPhas been distributing bonus of Rs 2,100 crore to farmers forpaddy procurement done in the previous Kharif season.
Today as a part of bonus distribution programme, chiefminister Singh transferred Rs 90.78 crore to accounts of about64,319 farmers in Jagdalpur (Bastar) and Bhanupratapur(District-Kanker).
The state government will initiate the process todistribute bonus to tendu leaves collectors after disbursingbonus to farmers, the CM said.
There are over 13 lakh forest dwellers who are themembers of the 901 Primary Forest Produce Co-OperativeSocieties in the state.
They pluck and collect tendu leaves to augment theirincomes in summers, he said.
The state government has taken number of steps for thewelfare of tendu leaves collectors including increasing theirwages from Rs 300 per standard sack to Rs 1,800 per standardsack, he added.
Ahead of the next year assembly election in the state,Raman Singh government recently announced a bonus to farmersfor the last season as well this season paddy procurement.
As per the CM's announcement the bonus to the tune ofRs 2,100 crore for paddy procurement in the last years season(2016-17) will be disbursed ahead of Diwali this year whichwill benefit over 13 lakh farmers.
A bonus for the procurement to be done in this season(2017-18) will be given next year during Vikas Yatra. PTI TKPRMT.
This is unedited, unformatted feed from the Press Trust of India wire.