Rs 1,364 crore paid to over 20 lakh undeserving beneficiaries under PM-KISAN: RTI data
The Government has paid Rs 1,364 crore to 20.48 lakh undeserving beneficiaries under its ambitious PM-KISAN scheme, a reply to a Right to Information (RTI) query by the Union Agriculture Ministry reveals.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sammann Nidhi (PM-KISAN) was launched by the Centre in 2019 and under the scheme, an income support of Rs 6,000 per year in three equal installments is paid to small and marginal farmer families having combined land holding or ownership of up to 2 hectares.
The Union Agriculture Ministry, in response to the RTI application, identified two categories of undeserving beneficiaries who received PM-KISAN payouts as “ineligible farmers” and “income tax payee farmers”.
Turmeric farmers of Nizamabad go on protest
Hundreds of turmeric farmers in Nizamabad have taken to the streets at Armoor, demanding a minimum support price of ₹15,000 a quintal.
As the marketing season begins, prices have crashed to ₹4,000-5,000 a quintal (depending on the quality) from ₹5,500-6,000 a few weeks ago, falling much below the production cost of ₹7,500 a quintal.
Enraged, the farmers have formed a joint action committee to demand MSP of ₹15,000 a quintal from the government. About 4,000 farmers from various turmeric-growing areas in the State gathered at Mamidipalli near Armoor and blocked the National Highway yesterday.
Reliance buys paddy from Karnataka farmer producer company
In what could probably be the first major deal between a corporate and farmers’ collective after agri-marketing reforms were introduced, Reliance Retail Ltd is buying about 1,000 tonnes of paddy from Swastya Farmer Producer Company Ltd based in Sindhanur in Karnataka’s Raichur district.
“We have been enrolled as a vendor with Reliance Retail and have agreed to supply 1,000 tonnes of Sona Masuri 5204 variety initially as this is a new experience for us. Last week, we supplied 100 tonnes and are expecting purchase order for another 200 tonnes soon,” said CEO of Swastya FPC, Umakant Sharma. Swastya FPC is promoted by NABARD and has about 1,100 registered farmer members. It processes edible oilseeds such as groundnut and sunflower and also runs small rice milling units, Sharma said.
