MillenniumPost
Bengal

CM transfers benefits worth over Rs 2K cr to 89L farmers

CM transfers benefits worth over Rs 2K cr to 89L farmers
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Kolkata: Expressing her concern over complaints against some Kisan Mandis across the state that have been refusing to procure paddy from the farmers, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Monday directed the aggrieved farmers to lodge an FIR at the local police station in case of such denial and directed the OC concerned to take immediate action.

Banerjee on Monday addressed a programme at Nababhat in East Burdwan from where benefits were extended to 89 lakh farmers across the state under Krishak Bandhu (New) scheme and a total amount of Rs 2,385 crore was transferred to the bank account of the beneficiaries.

"As I pressed the button here, funds have been transferred to 79 lakh farmers' bank accounts across the state. The benefit is being extended for this Kharif season," Banerjee said.

Referring to the concerned district magistrate, the local Panchayat and the cold storage representatives present at the meeting Banerjee said: "I am receiving complaints that some Kisan Mandis are refusing to procure paddy from the farmers and are compelling them to return by offering certain excuses. If anybody faces such a situation he should inform the BDO and lodge an FIR at the local police station. The concerned OC should take immediate action. It should be ensured that not a single farmer should be refused from Kisan Mandis," Banerjee said.

The district administration and the police will have to take responsibility for this issue and if any official refuses to do so, he/she will have no right to continue in his/her chair.

There are 186 Kisan Mandis across the state and around 130 are functional. Banerjee also lashed out at the Centre for not procuring paddy from Bengal inspite of the state producing 253 lakh metric tonne. "The Centre does not even purchase a single metric tonne of paddy from us. However, it does so from some other states where production is much less," she maintained.

Banerjee further announced handing over smartphones worth Rs 8000 to the Asha workers and ICDS workers so that they can carry out their work more efficiently.

"This step has been taken to felicitate the work done by the Asha and ICDS workers," she added.

She reiterated that the farmers' income in Bengal has trebled and they are getting value for their produce.

Within a month of forming the government for the third consecutive term in 2021, the state government had launched the Krishak Bandhu (New) scheme on June 17 ensuring the farmers now receive increased financial support from Rs 5,000 to Rs 10,000 for one acre or more of cultivable land and those having less than one acre receive a minimum of Rs 4,000 per annum in two phases. Earlier a farmer used to get Rs 6,000 maximum annually under the scheme.

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