Cabinet nod to enrol farmers & sharecroppers against self-declaration

Kolkata: The state Cabinet on Tuesday gave its approval to allow enrollment of sharecroppers and farmers in Krishak Bandhu scheme against self-declaration that will help all of 72 lakh farmers to reap its benefits.

Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced the enrolment of farmers in the scheme a few days ago as a move to extend support to agriculturists in the state when agitations are on at Singhu border challenging the Centre's draconian farm laws.

Asish Banerjee, the state Agriculture minister, said: "Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee had announced the same to make the process simple so that not even a single farmer is left out from deriving the benefit of the Krishak Bandhu scheme."

There is a section of farmers and sharecroppers who failed to get enrolled under the scheme for failing to produce mutation certificates to establish ownership of land. "Now, with this approval by the state Cabinet headed by the Chief Minister on Tuesday, these farmers and sharecroppers can also avail the facility," Banerjee said.

So far, more than 50 lakh farmers have been brought under the scheme in which family members of deceased farmers aged between 18 and 60 years can get compensation of Rs 2 lakh. Moreover, a farmer with one or more acre landholding can get financial assistance of Rs 5,000 per annum in Rabi and Kharif seasons.

According to a senior official, soon the notification in this regard will be issued and a necessary task for the same will be undertaken. Once the notification is issued, the task to enrol farmers under the scheme against self-declaration will begin and in case one furnishes "false information", he will be penalised. This comes when annual financial assistance under the PM-Kisan scheme is Rs 1,214 per acre compared to that of Rs 5,000 under the state government's Krishak Bandhu scheme. At the same time, the state government is giving benefits to all farmer families while under the PM-Kisan scheme, farmers with land holding up to two hectares are getting the benefit. There is no death benefit in the PM-Kisan scheme, unlike Krishak Bandhu.

There are counters for Krishak Bandhu scheme at Duare Sarkar camps and even officials of the state Land and Land Reforms department have been deployed so that farmers can be provided with the necessary assistance to resolve problems related to mutation of plots.