KOLKATA: Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar on Wednesday wrote to Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee requesting her to depute a nodal officer so that the Centre could coordinate to implement the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, a central scheme for farmers.
Tomar’s communication came days after Mamata gave her nod to accept the central scheme and asked the Union Minister to give the state government the list 21.7 lakh applicants for verification.
Mamata Banerjee's green signal to the central scheme is said to be a calculated political move ahead of the upcoming Assembly elections at a time when the BJP high-command has been hitting out at the CM for not allowing the central scheme in Bengal and accused her of depriving the farmers.
"Allowing the central scheme in Bengal will leave no option open for the BJP to attack the TMC-led government on the issue of depriving farmers by barring the central scheme," said a senior TMC leader.
On Monday, Mamata had said that she had written to the Union Agricultural Minister saying Bengal was ready to verify the 21.7 lakh farmer applicants who registered themselves on the central portal. "I want farmers to get the money. If there is anything extra other than our grants for the farmers, then let them," she said.
The tussle between the Centre and Mamata broke out on the issue of disbursing authority of the financial grant. The central government wants to transfer the grant directly to the bank accounts of the farmers while Mamata wanted to do it through her administrative machinery.
"It was a smart move of the CM. She agreed to allow the central scheme at a time when the BJP is being criticised all corners on the issue of the farm laws and protests by farmers at Delhi border. Her nod to implement the central scheme for farmers in Bengal will not only blunt BJP’s political tool to target her on this issue, but her party will also sharpen attack on the saffron camp on the farm laws," said a senior bureaucrat in state government.