As protesting farmers pressure the government to remove a set of controversial farm laws, Prime Minister Narendra Modi will address farmers in virtually every state on Friday and release the next batch of Rs 18 billion financial aid. of the PM-Kisan plan. The prime minister’s session with farmers is part of the ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) nationwide outreach to farmers on December 25, the birthday of former prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee.
“Tomorrow (Friday) is very important for the Annadatas of the country. We will have the opportunity to launch the next installment of PM-Kisan for more than Rs 9 million farming families via video conference at 12pm. He will also interact with farmers in many states this time around, ”the prime minister tweeted on Thursday.
The Center is also expected to provide Rs 18 billion to 90 million farmers under the PM-Kisan scheme, an initiative by the Narendra Modi government to extend income support of Rs 6,000 per year to small and marginal farmers. in three equal installments of Rs 2000 every four months.
In a letter to BJP officials across the country, a copy of which was accessed by HT, the party’s general secretary, Arun Singh, listed a number of steps, including the installation of large television screens at venues. farmer meetings, so that the prime minister’s speech gets a wide audience.
Singh told reporters on Thursday that the party has arranged for farmers to participate on December 25 at more than 19,000 locations across the country, and party members will also be present.
While a crore of farmers will participate directly, more than five crore of them will listen to Modi’s speech, he added.
At block-level events, the party plans to explain to farmers how the three contentious new laws, aimed at opening up agricultural trade, are of interest to them.
Party officials have been asked to detail the measures implemented by the Center to benefit farmers, such as increases in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for agricultural products, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana that ensures their yields and the introduction of neem coated products. to boost wheat and rice production. Singh urged BJP workers to gather outside of the Agricultural Products Marketing Committees (APMC), or government-controlled mandis, and offices of cooperative organizations for farmer events, which would also be attended by the party’s elected representatives.
The new outreach to farmers will coincide with the end of the first month of a protest sit-in by farmers who have gathered on the Delhi borders to demand the repeal of the three laws they say will damage their livelihoods.
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