Modi misleading farmers, says CM

Kolkata: Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on Friday alleged that Prime Minister Narendra Modi was not furnishing true information just to create confusion among the farmers.

Participating in the Question Hour in Bengal legislative Assembly, she said: "The Prime Minister is deliberately furnishing false information to create confusion among the farmers."

Addressing a farmers' rally in West Midnapore, Modi had said that the supporting price of paddy has gone up by 50 percent, while in reality it has gone up by Rs 200. He had also that said the farmers' income will double by 2022 and the infrastructure of 22,000 rural markets all over the country will be upgraded. In June, the retail price rise of paddy has gone up by 5.7 percent, which is highest in the past five years. The supporting price of Jute has also gone up, giving benefits to the farmers.

Reacting sharply, Banerjee said: "At a time when 12,000 farmers have committed suicide all over the country, there has not been a single such case in Bengal." She said the income of the farmers has gone up three times in the state in the past few years.

She said that she had requested the Centre to increase the credit limit of the farmers to Rs 2 lakh. "I have requested the Centre to increase the credit limit of the farmers to Rs 2 lakh, against the existing amount of Rs 20,000 to 40,000. With this meager amount, the farmers cannot do anything. But they have not listened to me and now are shedding crocodile tears for the farmers." Banerjee said that the farmers are looked after properly in Bengal and their families are getting benefits of various schemes taken up by the state government.

State Food and Supplies minister Jyotiproyo Mullick said till July 25, 31,700 lakh metric tonnes of rice has been procured. Around 4.53 lakh farmers have sold the paddy. There are 480 direct purchasing centres (DPC) and 420 central purchasing centres.