New Delhi, February 24: Fulfilling the promise to provide relief to the ailing farmers in the country, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday will launch the Rs 75,000-crore Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme from Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh. With this, he would announce the transfer of the first instalment of Rs 2,000 to over one crore farmers, said an agriculture ministry official. Another one crore farmers will be covered under the scheme in the next 2-3 days.

Earlier in the interim Budget 2019 – presented by Union Minister Piyush Goyal – the government had declared that under the PM-KISAN scheme Rs 6,000 per year would be given in three instalments to 12 crore small and marginal farmers holding cultivable land up to two hectares. This applies to the family comprising of husband, wife and minor children (up to 18 years of age). Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Announced in Budget 2019: Rs 6,000 Per Year to be Given as Minimum Income Support To Farmers In Bank Accounts. 

Informing about the decision of the Union government, PM took to Twitter and wrote, “Tomorrow is a historic day! The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi will be launched from Gorakhpur. This is a scheme that will give wings to the aspirations of crores of hardworking farmers of India who feed our nation.”

Here's the tweet:

Adding more, he wrote, “Tomorrow’s launch of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi demonstrates two things: NDA’s unwavering commitment to farmer welfare and speedy decision making — a scheme announced on 1st February has become a reality in such a short span. This is the new work culture of New India.”

Here’s the tweet:

Through this scheme, the Union government is making an effort to address the farm distress and help the ailing farmers whose financial condition severed due to the lower sales realisation on bumper production of foodgrains, oilseeds, sugarcane, cotton and horticulture crops. The government has made the transfer of the first instalment (Rs 2,000) from the fiscal year itself, and the amount is to be deposited in farmers’ bank accounts before March-end.

Informing more about it, the Union Agricultural Ministry issued a statement stating that funds would be electronically transferred to the beneficiary’s bank account by the Centre through State Notional Account on a pattern similar to MGNREGS. However, it didn’t clarify the number of farmers who will get their first instalment on Sunday.

It said, as PTI quotes, “The Centre will transfer the amount to the bank account of the beneficiaries through State Notional Account. For transfer of benefit, district-wise beneficiaries’ list has to be certified and uploaded by the states/UTs on the PM-KISAN portal of the central government.”

Adding more, it said, “PM-KISAN would not only provide assured supplemental income to the most vulnerable farmer families, but would also meet their emergent needs especially before the harvest season. PM-KISAN would pave the way for the farmers to earn and live a respectable living.”

In the first phase, one crore farmers from 14 states, including UP and Karnataka, will get their first instalment on Sunday. While another one crore beneficiaries, spread over 28 states and one UT, would get their instalment of Rs 2,000 in the next 2-3 days, said the official.

(The above story first appeared on LatestLY on Feb 24, 2019 11:18 AM IST. For more news and updates on politics, world, sports, entertainment and lifestyle, log on to our website latestly.com).