Agri, Railways ministers to reach out to Dadri farmers to explain note ban puzzle

In a move aimed at instilling confidence to farmers and marginal workers about benefits of the demonetisation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi has tasked its Cabinet ministers to reach out to farmers and aware them about benefits of cashless transactions. 

The PM direction has come in the wake of recent outcry over the demonetisation issue by opposition parties citing that farmers are in huge trouble as they don’t have enough cash to carry out their farming activities, including sowing of rabi crops.

In a first of such visits, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh and Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu have been scheduled to visit Dadri on Saturday to ‘educate’ famers as well as marginal workers about using different modes of cashless transactions. 

Both the cabinet ministers would meet several farmers and encourage them for adopting cashless methods such as paying electricity bills through cheque or mobile apps, purchasing of seeds, fertilisers by doing cashless transactions.

“Given that most of the farmers have their accounts in co-operative bank accounts and they don’t have features like internet banking or mobile banking or app based banking operations, the famers would also be apprised about other available options for going cashless,” a senior official said.

When asked, Agriculture Minister Radha Mohan Singh said, “We are going to clear the misconception created by opposition leaders on demonetisation. Our farmers are supporting Modi’s decision, but it’s the opposition parties who are misleading poor farmers. During the visit, we would take stock of their problems that they are struggling with and would try to resolve them on site.