The Chhattisgarh government will launch a scheme to ensure “minimum income availability” to farmers of the state through direct bank transfer on the death anniversary of former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi May 21.
Under the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana, based on registered area and area under cultivation during Kharif crop season 2019, Rs 10,000 per acre will be deposited in the bank accounts of farmers as agriculture assistance grant for sowing crops such as paddy, maize and sugarcane, officials said.
According to the government, at least 19 lakh farmers will benefit from the scheme, for which the state government had allocated Rs 5,756 crore in the budget 2020-21.
The money will be given to the farmers in four instalments.
In November 2019, the Congress government had decided to procure paddy at the Centre’s fixed price of Rs 1,835 per quintal and said it will pay the difference between the central price and Rs 2,500 per quintal promised by the Congress in its manifesto for the assembly elections in 2018.
A five-member committee was constituted to study how a benefit of Rs 2,500 per quintal could be ensured to the farmers.
“The committee recommended that Rs 10,000 per acre should be given to farmers who sold paddy under MSP and added the benefit should also be provided for maize and sugarcane crops,” a senior government official with the chief minster’s office, who did not want to be named, said.
Chhattisgarh cabinet approved the scheme on May 14.
“Our leadership has been advocating the direct transfer of money to the people. We have seen the amazing result of this cash transfer in Chhattisgarh last year. So, we decided to put money in farmers’ pocket again. I am confident that this scheme will help in revival of economy post-Covid-19,” chief minister Bhupesh Baghel said.
Chhattisgarh based social workers said the scheme was the right of the farmers.
“This is a welcome step as the farmers would be getting money directly in their bank accounts. If the government is claiming it as Nyay Yojana, why aren’t the all 30 lakh paddy farmers of the state are covered in this scheme? These 18.75 lakh paddy farmers, who are benefited under the scheme are those who had sold their crops at the central price,” Alok Shukla, a social activist based in Chhattisgarh, said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party’s (BJP’s) Chhattisgarh unit questioned the scheme and said it will not do justice to the farmers.
“This is ‘Anyay Yojna’ not Nyay Yojana. The money is given to the farmers in four instalments which will be of no use to them. They promised that they will be giving the difference amount in one instalment but they ditched the farmers of the state,” senior BJP leader and spokesperson Sacchinand Upasane said.
