Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the ambitious Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme yesterday, transferring the first instalment of Rs. 2,000 each to over one crore farmers. Launching the scheme from Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur, the prime minister said the first installment of money under the scheme has been deposited in accounts of 1.01 crore farmers and those who didn’t get it on Sunday will get it in due course, reported PTI. The PM-KISAN scheme was announced in the interim Budget 2019-20 on February 1, 2019 and will benefit more than 12 crore farmers. Under the Scheme, Rs. 6,000 will be given per year to small and marginal farmers having combined land holding or ownership of up to two hectares.
The Congress party however, took a dig at Prime Minister Narendra Modi after he launched the first installment of the beneficial PM-KISAN scheme. Uttar Pradesh Congress spokesperson Ashok Singh had termed the scheme, as mere “eyewash” and said it would not reach the genuine beneficiaries. The President of Rashtriya Kisan Manch Shekhar Dixit had also questioned the intention and the reach of the scheme. Congress Party spokesperson Pawan Khera said the government is now remembering farmers as Congress President Rahul Gandhi keeps reminding it about them and that the states ruled by the opposition party have taken measures to benefit peasants. “He (Modi) needs a face-saver. This (scheme) is nothing more than that,” Khera said at a press conference and claimed that such pre-poll measures do not work as they did not benefit the Congress as well before the last Lok Sabha election. Pawan Khera needs to understand that just because Congress only introduced their farmer friendly measures as an incentive to vote for the party, which obviously blew at their faces before the election, does not mean all political parties have the same corrupt intentions.
The BJP Kisan Morcha President and Bhadohi MP Virendra Singh Mast said, “It is wrong to say that the government is reminded of farmers during the election season only. There is no time frame decided in advance for taking any welfare step. The opposition parties have nothing to say.” In an interview, Virendra Singh Mast told PTI that a number of farmer welfare schemes were launched by the government in the past nearly five years, which Rahul Gandhi has always criticized. Virendra Singh Mast said, “It is amazing that those who had not even given even six paise for agriculture, are now questioning the move by the government to give Rs 6,000 a year to the farmers.” He also challenged Congress president Rahul Gandhi to differentiate various crops.
“He cannot distinguish among the plants of paddy, barley, wheat and (maize). If he is able to distinguish the plants, I will garland and welcome him”, stated Mast. He continued, “Somebody might have told him that if he speaks against the prime minister, he will become a national leader.”
This statement of Virendra Singh Mast takes a dig at Rahul Gandhi’s ignorance on farm issues which stems from his statement prior to the Gujrat assembly elections, “Aisi machine lagaunga, iss side se aaloo ghusega, uss side se sona niklega (I will install a machine which will convert potato into gold),”
The opposition collectively (Mahamilavati log) are attempting to create hindrances in the implementation of the PM-KISAN scheme, thinking about election politics at the cost of farmers’ welfare. They have resorted to lies and fabrication by spreading rumors that farmers would have to return to the government the amount (₹6,000) given to them at the end of the year. Moreover, the Non-BJP states are not even submitting their list of eligible farmers. Rahul Gandhi cannot implement anything of his own so all he does is criticize any and all beneficial schemes introduced by the BJP and truthfully, the public is getting tired of it. The agriculture sector is the backbone of the Indian economy and about 53% of the Indian population is involved in the sector. Having said that, however tense the political situation is, the National interest lies above all and being in the vital position of guiding the beneficiaries on the favorable path, the opposition is instead attempting to mislead and corrupt the opportunities given to farmers.