Kolkata: Amid the virus pandemic when the entire nation has hunkered down due to the lockdown, the state Agriculture department extending support to the families of deceased farmers. The department is sending cheques to the entitled beneficiaries under the Krishak Bandhu Prakalpa at their residences.
'Krishak Bandhu Prakalpa' is a dream project of Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee. Under this scheme family members of deceased farmers aged between 18-60 years get a compensation of Rs 2 lakh. The scheme has another part under which any farmer with one or more acre of landholding gets financial assistance of Rs 5,000 per annum during Rabi and Kharif season.
Besides, beneficiaries of this part of the scheme are getting the amount transferred to their bank accounts. Asish Banerjee, the state Agriculture minister, said, "All districts' authorities have been directed to send cheques to residences of next of the kin of a deceased farmer who is entitled to get the
benefit under the scheme.
At the same time arrangements of direct bank transfer of fund has been made for the farmers who receive financial assistance of Rs 5,000 in Rabi and Kharif seasons to carry out agricultural activities. The step has been taken to avoid
gathering at offices where farmers need to come to collect their
cheques."
"The compensation of Rs 2 lakh has to be divided equally among the legal heirs of the deceased farmer. Accordingly, cheques are being sent to their residences so that they do not have to keep waiting until the lockdown is withdrawn to visit the concerned office to collect the same," the minister added. The minister also said that the beneficiaries can easily deposit the cheques at their nearest banks, where they have an account."
Similarly, lakhs of farmers in the state are also getting benefitted as their entitled amount is getting transferred directly to their bank accounts. So far about 1 crore farmers have reaped the benefits of the scheme. Moreover, this scheme along with other such schemes has helped in bringing
an overall development in the state's agriculture sector.