J&K farmers get Rs 182.55 cr; Rs 3085 cr in total so far
Dr Jitendra, Rai join functions at Jammu, Pulwama
Sanjeev Pargal
JAMMU, June 18: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today released 17th installment of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi worth Rs 20,000 cr for more than 9.26 crore farmers across the country including Rs 182.55 crore for 8.46 lakh farmers in Jammu and Kashmir.
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The Prime Minister released the installment from his Parliamentary constituency of Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh while Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO) Dr Jitendra Singh joined the function at SKUAST Jammu and Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai attended the programme at Pulwama in South Kashmir.
With today’s installment, more than eight lakh eligible farmers have so far received benefits under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi to the tune of Rs 3085 crore in Jammu and Kashmir.
Besides main function at SKUAST Jammu and Pulwama, DDC Jammu Chairman Bharat Bushan attended the programme at Baba Jitto Kissan Kendra in Talab Tillo while functions were also held at district and sub divisional headquarters.
Addressing the function at Varanasi, the Prime Minister while releasing Rs 20,000 crore as 17th installment of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi for more than 9.26 crore farmers, said the mandate given by the people in this Lok Sabha election is truly unprecedented and has created history.
He said the first decision of the new Government is related to farmers and the poor.
“I consider farmers, women, the youth and the poor as strong pillars of ‘Viksit Bharat’,” Modi said.
Referring to his re-election from the constituency in Uttar Pradesh, he said, “With the blessings of Baba Vishwanath and Maa Ganga and the immense love of the people of Kashi, I have got the privilege of becoming the country’s ‘pradhan sevak’ for the third time.”
“The people of Varanasi have not only chosen him as an MP for a third time but also as the Prime Minister,” Modi said.
He also asserted that agriculture will play big role in making 21st century India third largest economic power in world.
On the results of the Lok Sabha elections, the Prime Minister said this victory gives huge confidence.
“I will work hard like this day and night and will I make every effort to fulfil your dreams and aspirations,” he added.
Meanwhile, Union Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Science and Technology, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Department of Atomic Energy, Department of Space, Personnel, Public Grievances and Pensions, Dr. Jitendra Singh today said that PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme marks the continuity of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s conviction and commitment.
In his address at a programme held at SKUAST here to telecast PM Narendra Modi’s virtual grant of fresh installment of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, there is a certain pattern of continuity with deep commitment and conviction with which Prime Minister Modi follows each of his initiatives.
Describing PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme as one such distinct example, Dr. Jitendra Singh recalled that the scheme was launched by PM Modi in his first term i.e. Modi Govt 1.0 on 2nd of February 2019. Since then, he said, regular programmes of similar nature were held for timely grant of the installments to the needy farmers and the process continued over the second term of PM Modi i.e. Modi Govt 2.0 and is now also seen in third term of Modi Govt 3.0 with the first function happening within just one month of the swearing in of the Ministry for the third term.
“This also reflects the Prime Minister’s conscious attempt to introduce in the society and in the polity, a new work culture which is above the divisions of caste, creed or religion,” he added.
He referred to PM Modi’s recent statement where he had said that he knew only of four classes or castes in this country, namely Kisan (farmer), Mahila (women), Yuva (youth) and Garib (poor). By serving the cause of these four classes all the castes and religions get addressed because these classes include Hindus as well as Muslims and every caste of Hindu as well, he said.
Referring to today’s programme in the light of the same spirit, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, through today’s grants while on the one hand the farmers’ class is being addressed, on the other hand the women are also being addressed through the initiative of “Krishi-Sakhi” Self-Help Groups of women farmers who are also going to get the benefit.
Dr. Jitendra Singh also underlined the use of technology in all the Modi schemes including the PM Kisan Samman scheme where more than five lakh common service centres have been opened and even the Artificial Intelligence has been used to produce AI chatbot called Kisan e-Mitra which is available in eleven Indian languages and soon it will be available in Dogri and Kashmiri as well.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said, it is important for the opinion makers to create this awareness that today’s farmers is not the farmer of the yesteryears but he is an agriculture entrepreneur or agri-tech start-up and one of the best examples of this has come from Jammu & Kashmir which gave birth to Aroma Mission and offered livelihood and Start-up opportunities to thousands of agri-workers through lavender cultivation which began from the small town of Bhaderwah and is now being cited all over the world including in the display during the Republic Day tableau at Kartavya Path.
At Pulwama in South Kashmir, Union Minister of State for Home Nityanand Rai attended the function for release of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi and interacted with the farmers.
Rai visited Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Malangpora to partake in celebration of PM Kisan Utsav Divas. He had an exclusive interactive session with the local farming community there.
Rai also toured various agricultural sites, including a virus-free high-density apple orchard, saffron and almond plantations, a high-tech playhouse for vegetative propagation of walnut and areas dedicated to propagation of medicinal and aromatic plants and high-density vegetables.
During his visit, the Union Minister inspected various stalls and distributed subsidy sanction letters among the selected beneficiaries. A large number of farmers and PM Kisan beneficiaries were present on the occasion who interacted with the Union Minister and shared their experiences.
Till date, over Rs 129 crore have been disbursed among the eligible farmers across Pulwama district. With the latest release, the total amount transferred to beneficiaries since the scheme’s inception will exceed Rs 142 crore.
The Union Minister lauded the efforts of UT government in implementing various farmer friendly schemes and delved upon the Holistic Agriculture Development Plan, that provides battery of 29 sub components covering all agriculture and allied sectors.
He was accompanied by Vice Chancellor SKUAST, Dr. Nazir, Ahmad Ganie and Deputy Commissioner, Pulwama, Dr. Basharat Qayoom,
Besides, DIG South, Javaid Ahmad, Senior Superintendent of Police Pulwama, P.D. Nitya, were among other officers of SKUAST-K and Agriculture department present on the occasion.
Earlier on his arrival in Srinagar, Rai visited the BSF headquarters and met senior officers. He discussed with them the prevailing security situation in the Kashmir valley.
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