Bhopal: Madhya Pradesh chief minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday showered sops for farmers ahead of crucial by-elections in 28 assembly constituencies in the state, expected to be held by end of October this year.

In a major sop for the farmers, Chouhan announced that the beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Samman Nidhi Yojana, a scheme launched by the Centre guaranteeing minimum income support for the farmers, in the state would get additional Rs 4000 annually, in addition to Rs 6000 provided under it.

The farmers in the state henceforth would receive Rs 10,000 annually under the scheme launched by the Union government in 2019.

“This is the first phase of the new chief minister’s farmers’ welfare scheme”, he said, indicating more sops for the farmers in the pipeline by his government.

He was launching the farm loan (at zero percent interest) and farmers’ credit card distribution programmes here.

He also announced to re-launch the zero percent interest farm loans in the state.

Chouhan had launched the scheme during his previous terms in power in the state.

“All the farmers’ welfare schemes like crop damage relief, PM Samman Nidhi, zero percent interest loans, crop insurance and others would be implemented through a comprehensive package. The first phase of CM’s farmers’ welfare scheme is in the direction”, he said.

By-elections in 28 assembly constituencies in the state, necessitated following resignation of 25 Congress MLAs from the assembly and death of 3 legislators, may decide fate of Shivraj Singh Chouhan government.

Twenty two former Congress MLAs, supporters of Jyotiraditya Scindia, resigned from the assembly as well as from the party in March this year leading to fall of the 15-month-old Kamal Nath government.

They later joined BJP after Scindia switched over to the saffron party from Congress.