PM-KISAN scheme, an insult to farmers: Mayawati

Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) Chief Mayawati on Sunday mocked the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna (PM-KISAN) saying that the 'scheme is an insult' to the farmers.

"Rs 500 a month to poor farmers under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi is an insult of farmers. Farmers believe in their labour and want the remunerative price of their produce but BJP mentality to give them little monetary help is atrocious and arrogant. BJP has failed to fulfil their promise," tweeted, the former chief minister of Uttar Pradesh.

This comes a few hours after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the scheme at Gorakhpur in Uttar Pradesh by transferring the first instalment of the scheme to selected beneficiaries.

PM-KISAN scheme, announced in the interim Budget, released earlier this month will provide Rs 6,000 per year to small and marginal farmer families having combined land holding/ownership of upto 2 hectares. The amount will be given in three installments of Rs 2,000 each.

Calling this scheme a political stunt, the BSP chief tweeted, "Giving Rs 17 per day to few farmers just before Lok Sabha elections is pure hoodwinking. BJP reflects poor in their thinking towards farmers and solving their misery. BJP misused government power and machinery in a brazen manner and still not hesitating."

The amount will be transferred directly to the bank account of the beneficiaries through Direct Benefit Transfer. DBT will ensure transparency in the entire process and will save time for the farmers.