RAICHUR: Prime Minister Narendra Modi at the Kalaburagi rally on Wednesday said that the Karnataka government has failed to provide details of small and marginal farmers due to which he was not able to cover Karnataka under PM-KISAN.
It must be noted that Narendra Modi launched Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) on Feb 24 from Ghorakpur in Uttar Pradesh. The programme will credit Rs 6,000 per annum in three instalments for small and marginal farmers owning farmland up to 2 hectares or five acres.
On the day of launch, the union government is said to have credited Rs 2,000 as its first instalment to 1 crore farmers. This Rs. 75,000 crore programme will be benefiting 120 million farmers according to the union government.
Modi, speaking at the rally took a jibe at the state government claiming that the state government, in a bid to avoid positive impact on the electorate, deliberately did not share the details of farmers with the union government.
“Tell me, if I credit Rs 2,000 to the farmers of Karnataka, what the farmers would say?” he questioned, later answered himself that “the farmers will praise Modi for helping the farmers and will back me during the elections,” he said.
He also alleged that the Congress-JD(S) which are hungry for power has victimised the farmers by failing to divulge the details. The farmers are now denied instalment. “In the nation, I was not able to reach the farmers of Karnataka, which is sad,” he added.
He also said that PM-KISAN is a historic programme which ensures an annual income of RS 6’000 to farmers. This scheme reflects the policy of the union government which is pro-farmer.
Data suggests otherwise
While Modi claimed that no information of farmers were received from the state, the data suggests otherwise. In the Raichur district on March 5, 54,926 farmers were enrolled for the project. It must be noted that the number of small and marginal farmers (upto five acres or two hectares) is over 2,20,000. The total number of farmers named in the probable list on FRUITS (Farmers Beneficiary and Unified Beneficiary Information System) is 84,961. This is according to the details provided by the agriculture department.
Also an officer from the agriculture department said the central government has verified accounts and Aadhar details of over 4,000 farmers. He added that these 4,000 farmers also received RS, 2,000. The numbers were confirmed at the state level in the video conference held three days back. And many messages of payment also has been circulating. The Joint Director of Raichur agriculture department on several occasions told that the department has been looking like a war room as they are working for speedy registration and verification by the village accountants.
At Kalaburagi over 32,000 farmers have enrolled for the programme. Joint Director, Ritendra Nath Sugur said “32,000 farmers have enrolled for the scheme. While I do not have credit details, I have received at least two-three payment confirmation messages sent from bank to farmers.” The message was sourced from lower rungs officials.