PM Modi accuses Mamata Banerjee of blocking benefits for farmers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday accused West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee whose policies he said were stopping state farmers from taking benefit of PM-KISAN scheme. The scheme is central government's flagship scheme. He was addressing a virtual event after releasing over Rs 18,000 crore to more than nine crore farmer families under 'Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi' (PM-KISAN)

Under the PM-KISAN scheme, a financial benefit of Rs 6,000 per year is provided to small and marginal farmers, payable in three equal instalments of Rs 2,000 each. The fund is transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.

During his address Modi wondered why protests were not visible against West Bengal's decision of not implementing the scheme while there were agitations against the new farmer bills.

He said the entire country is benefiting from the PM-KISAN programme, but only one state, West Bengal, has not implemented this scheme.

As a result, over 70 lakh farmers are not able to take benefit of this scheme and this money is not reaching them, he said, adding that this is because of political reasons.

Modi said more than 23 lakh West Bengal farmers have applied online to take advantage of this scheme, but the state government has stopped the verification process for a long.

"Why there was no protest for ensuring PM-KISAN money," he said.

"If you listen to 15 years old speech of Mamta Ji, then you will know how much this ideology has ruined Bengal," he said.

Modi said everyone knows how the state has been ruined by the political ideology of those who ruled there for decades.

"The public is watching those doing selfish politics very closely. The parties that do not speak on the benefit of farmers in West Bengal are engaged in harassing the citizens of Delhi here in the name of the farmers and are ruining the economy of the country," he said.

(With PTI inputs)