BJP's Shanta Kumar writes to PM Modi flagging farmers' issues

Senior BJP leader and former Himachal Pradesh Chief Minister Shanta Kumar has written a letter to Prime Minister Narendra Modi requesting him to implement the direct income support for the farmers.

Addressing a press conference in Dharamshala on Wednesday, Kumar said, "I have written a letter to the Prime Minister that we should seriously think over the situation of farmers. I have said that it is unfortunate that agriculture is the most neglected sector in our country. Farmers are at the stake of suicide. More than 3.5 lakhs farmers have committed suicide."

"I have appreciated the schemes launched by our government during last four years to double the income of farmers but it will take lot of time to get the benefit from those schemes. Therefore, direct income support should be implemented soon as possible as suggested by our committee," he said.

He further noted that there is a lot of corruption and misutilisation of funds in Food Corporation of India which led to huge leakage of 20 to 25 percent in public distribution system.

The BJP leader, in the letter, also asked the Prime Minister to give direct benefit transfer to farmers.

"Prime Minister said during the launch of Jan Dhan Scheme that we want to start direct benefit transfer to the poor without any middle man. So we mentioned in the committee's report that we should begin direct benefit transfer and it will not only stop hundred percentage leakage but will save thirty thousand crore rupees of the government," Kumar added.