Ahead of assembly elections, the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) government in the National capital has come on board to execute Prime Minister, Narendra Modi's ambitious scheme - Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi under which a minimum income support of Rs. 6,000 is given to all the eligible farmers of India.
Under PM-Kisan scheme, which was launched in February this year, just before the Lok Sabha elections, the Central government is crediting Rs. 6,000 in 3 equal instalments directly into the bank accounts of cultivators.
As many as 7 crore farmers have already received benefit under the scheme. However, the government of Delhi and West Bengal had refused to implement the scheme.
Vivek Agarwal, the Joint Secretary in Agriculture Ministry who is in-charge of this scheme said, "After much persuasion, the Delhi has agreed to execute the scheme adding that they have sent names of 11,000 farmers".
Agarwal told PTI that the agri ministry is waiting for the state government's auto-debit approval for transferring the amount.
According to sources, the Delhi government has finally agreed to implement the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme as the Aam Aadmi party wants to avoid any backlash from farmers during the assembly elections to be held in mid-January next year.
Agarwal added that farmers all over India are keen to join the central government's scheme and avail the benefit of Rs. 6,000.
He also said, "We have also received numerous applications of farmers from West Bengal but we cannot process them as the state government has not given the consent".
He further told that over Rs. 32,000 crore has already been released under PM-Kisan scheme through the 1st instalment to 7 crore beneficiaries; 2nd instalment to 5.6 crore beneficiaries & 3rd instalment to 3.2 crore beneficiary farmers. Now only West Bengal government's approval is remaining.
