Lok Sabha approves demands for grants of agriculture, rural development ministries

The Lok Sabha on Wednesday approved grants to ministries of rural development, agriculture and farmers' welfare for 2019-2020.

The demands were approved by a voice vote after a reply by Rural Development and Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar who said that PM-Kisan scheme was a significant step to help small and marginal farmers.

He said there were 14.5 crore farmers in the country out of which 12.5 crore of them had less than 10 bigha land and their average income was quite less.

"Prime Minister Narendra Modi paid attention to them and launched PM-Kisan," Tomar said.

He added that money had gone straight to the accounts of farmers in states which had given their lists.

Referring to the Opposition's criticism that the money being paid to farmers was very less under the scheme, the union minister asked if any such programme to help farmers had been launched in the past.

"A sum of Rs 87,000 crore is going directly in the pockets of farmers," he said.

PM-Kisan scheme, which became operational from December 1, 2018, entails income support of Rs 6,000 per year in three equal instalments to small and marginal farmer families having combined landholding or ownership of up to two hectares.