12 Crore Farmers Will Get Rs 6000/Year; Opposition Calls Rs 75,000 Cr PM-KISAN As ‘Poll Bribe’

On Sunday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched India’s largest, most comprehensive scheme for helping small and medium scale farmers.

PM-KISAN or Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana will bear an expenditure of Rs 75,000 crore for the Govt, per year.

But opposition has described this as a ‘poll bribe’.

What exactly is happening?

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana Launched

From the historic Fertilizer Corporation of India ground in Gorakhpur, UP, India’s Prime Minister launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana or PM-KISAN.

Under this scheme, small and marginalized farmers who have less than two hectares land will get Rs 6000 per year, directly into their bank accounts.

This sum of Rs 6000 will be delivered in three installments, via direct benefit transfer (DBT) scheme into their bank accounts.

It is expected that more than 12 crore farmers will get benefitted due to this massive farmer assistance scheme, whose total expenditure will be Rs 75,000 crore, per year for the Govt.

This scheme was announced during the interim budget for 2019-20.

1st Installment Delivered; No Aadhaar Required

On the day of inauguration, the first installment of Rs 2000 was delivered to more than 1 crore farmers from 21 states, as PM Modi pushed a button during the mega event.

PM Modi said, “I have been told that farmers of 21 states and union territories have been included. Rs 2000 each has been transferred to accounts of these farmers.”

For receiving the 1st installment, the farmers need not have Aadhaar card as a rule, but the requirement of a bank account is mandatory. 2nd and 3rd installments will require Aadhaar card as a mandatory proof of identification.

Opposition Says This Is A Poll Bribe

As the announcement of Rs 75,000 crore Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana was made, Opposition parties issued statements against this mega scheme for farmers.

Main opposition party, Congress, has dismissed this scheme as a poll gimmick, and have described Rs 6000 per farmer, per year as ‘poll bribe’.

Congress leader P Chidambaram said, “Nothing can be more shameful in a democracy than ‘Bribe for Votes’. The greater shame is that the Election Commission [EC] is unable to stop the ‘bribe for votes’,”

On the other hand, PM Modi has emphasized transparency, while announcing this farmers scheme. He said, “There are no middlemen in this scheme and it is being implemented with complete transparency,”, adding, “This is your money and it will not be taken back.”

Interestingly, the Election Commission can clamp down on schemes which can influence votes, only after model code of conduct comes into force, and this can be implemented only after poll dates have been announced.

Former UP CM and Samajwadi Party (SP) leader Akhilesh Yadav too critisized the Govt. for spending Rs 75,000 crore on this farmers’ scheme, as he said that farmers crisis cannot be solved by giving them monetary aid.

We will keep you updated, as more details come in.

Image Source