New Delhi, December 25 () Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday released more than 18,000 crore rupees to more than nine crore farming families under ‘Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi’ (PM-KISAN). With the push of a button, Modi enabled money transfer in an event that ruling BJP has turned into a mega exercise in reaching out to farmers by having their leaders interact with the farming community at more than 19,000 locations across the country also listen to the prime minister’s speech.
Modi handed out the 2,000 rupee payment to each farmer on the birthday anniversary of former prime minister and BJP stalwart Atal Bihari Vajpayee, which the ruling party celebrates every year as “Good Governance Day”.
Under the PM-KISAN program, a financial benefit of Rs 6,000 per year is provided to small and marginal farmers, payable in three equal installments of Rs 2,000 each. The fund is transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
The program comes amid protests by various farmers’ unions against three farm laws recently enacted by the Modi government.
The government has insisted that these reforms are in the interest of farmers.
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