Current Affairs

Issue

Prime Minister Modi has released the eighth instalment under the PM Kisan financial assistance scheme for farmers.

 

Background

The PM Kisan is a central sector scheme in which famers receive Rs 6000 in three instalments as minimum assistance.

 

Details

• This is the first time that beneficiary farmers from Bengal have benefitted from the scheme. Earlier, the state had stayed away from it.

• The Chief Minister of Bengal has demanded Rs 18,000 for all beneficiaries including the previous instalments that were not given.

 

PM Kisan

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi is a central sector scheme in which Rs 6000 is given in three equal instalments to all eligible farmer families in a year.

 

Working of the scheme

• The money will be credited directly into the account of the eligible farmers through Direct Benefit Transfer.

• The state governments will have to give the bank account details of all the beneficiaries in the state to the central government for them to get the amount.

• The Department of Agriculture, Cooperation & Farmers’ Welfare that is part of Ministry of Agriculture and farmers’ welfare will issue transfer orders of the amount.

• The money will be credited into the State Nodal Account of a sponsor bank of a particular state.  After receiving permission, the bank manger will debit the amount and credit it to account of beneficiary.

 

West Bengal controversy

• The West Bengal government had demanded that money be directly given to the state for distribution. It had not provided beneficiaries list nor designated a SNO until recently.

• The money of the current cycle is being given. Once the state government provides data of previous years, the pending amount will be released in next cycle.