Taking a jibe at Narendra Modi government’s Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, Congress chief Rahul Gandhi Friday said their ‘minimum income guarantee’ scheme won’t be like the BJP’s under which farmers of India will get only Rs 17 per day.
Addressing a ‘Kisan Aabhar Sammelan’ (thanksgiving rally) in Madhya Pradesh, Rahul said BJP MPs clapped for five whole minutes, while he and his fellow parliamentarians wondered the reason behind the celebration. “Then they announced Rs 17 for farmers,” Rahul added.
Rahul was referring to the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi, which promises financial assistance of Rs 6,000 a year to farmers amounting to Rs 17 a day. Rahul said, “You can get any work done by scaring Narendra Modi ji.” Taking potshots at him, he added, ” Narendra Modi ji has given Rs 17, just Rs 17 to farmers of India and there was thunderous applause in the Lok Sabha by BJP MPs.”
Under the scheme, small and marginal farmers with total cultivable landholding under two hectares will receive the benefit in three instalments. But the government has clarified that those having other sources of income, holding a public post, or liable to pay income tax would not be eligible for the grant.
Meanwhile, in a bid to roll-out the scheme before the code of conduct for the Lok Sabha polls kicks in, the Centre has directed state governments to expedite the list of farmers eligible for the dole in their respective states.
