Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Saturday extended her respect and heartfelt wishes to farmers and their families, addressing them as “brothers and sisters”, on the occasion of Krishak Divas (Farmer’s Day).
Krishak Divas is observed in the state every year on March 14 to pay tribute to the martyrs of the agricultural land movement in Nandigram, East Midnapore.
Taking to her X handle, Banerjee said: “Our farmers are our pride. They are our food providers. That is why we stand by them in every need. From financial assistance under the ‘Krishak Bandhu (New)’ scheme to fair price sales, from bearing all costs of crop insurance to financial aid in natural disasters, from standing by farmer families in the event of a farmer’s untimely death to providing farmer pensions, from launching 186 ‘Kisan Mandis’ to providing free agricultural machinery – we have done it all.”
Under the Krisak Bandhu (New) scheme, farmers, sharecroppers, and bargadars now receive Rs 10,000 each per year. Even those with the smallest plot of land receive a minimum of Rs 4,000. This amount is sent directly to their bank accounts in two instalments, during the Kharif and Rabi seasons.
“Under this scheme, a total of Rs 30,051 crore taka in financial assistance has been provided so far. A total of over 1.14 crore farmers, sharecroppers, and bargadars have benefited,” she posted.
Alongside farmers, sharecroppers, and bargadars, agricultural labourers are also getting Rs 4,000 as financial assistance per year in two installments. Money has started being sent to the bank accounts of nearly 28 lakh applicants from March 8 onwards.
“Over 1.70 lakh farmer families have received benefits under Krishak Bandhu (death-related assistance) with total spending being Rs 3,419 crore . Under the Bangla Crop Insurance Scheme, the state government bears the entire premium cost. So far, 1.15 crore farmers have received over Rs 4,005 crore as compensation under this insurance. In connection with the Agricultural Mechanisation Scheme, over 6.01 lakh agricultural machines have been distributed among farmers so far with the expenditure surpassing Rs 1321 crore,” Banerjee wrote.
About 2,525 hiring centres for agricultural machinery have been set up with government assistance.
Banerjee further stated: “This year, 70 lakh metric tons of paddy are being purchased. Additionally, arrangements are being made to procure other crops at fair prices as needed. In the days ahead as well, we will continue to stand by our farmers in this manner.”