KOLKATA: Iterating that farmers in West Bengal have lost benefits of Rs 8,400 crore as the state did not implement the PM-Kisan scheme, Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar on Thursday asserted that it was "time to do justice" to them.
A senior TMC leader, however, took exception to the remark, and said the Mamata Banerjee government has introduced many pro-farmer schemes in the state over the past nine years.
Taking to Twitter, Dhankhar said farmers should not be deprived of the central aid available under the scheme.
"Farmers have lost 8,400 cr benefit due to failure @MamataOfficial by not forwarding details #PMKisan In my address to the assembly on Feb 07, 2020 benefit by govt.
To farmers was ONLY 620 cr.
Time to do justice to farmers.
They can't be deprived benefit available all over the country!" the governor wrote on his Twitter handle.
Reacting to Dhankhar's assertions, senior TMC leader and minister Firhad Hakim said the governor should gain knowledge about the various schemes launched by the state government for farmers.
"The governor, before making any such comment, should find out about the pro-farmer schemes launched by the state government over the last nine years," Hakim said.
Earlier this week, Dhankhar had written to Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee, expressing displeasure over non- implementation of the Centre's PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, calling it a "cruel joke" and "historic injustice" to the 70 lakh farmers of the state.
Farmers across the country have received about Rs 92,000 crore so far, and those in Bengal got nothing, he had said.