Congress-led MP govt has no concern for farmers: PM

Prime Minister Narendra Modi Tuesday accused the Congress-led government in Madhya Pradesh of having no concern for farmers as the state had not sent a list of eligible beneficiaries for the Centre's Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana.

In the interim Budget 2019-20, the Central government announced the PM-KISAN scheme under which Rs 6,000 per year will be given in three instalments to 12 crore small and marginal farmers holding cultivable land up to two hectares.

The first tranche of Rs 2,000 was disbursed online to over 1 crore farmers by the prime minister on February 24.

"Under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, the first instalment (of Rs 2,000) has already reached the bank accounts of several crore farmers. But I am pained to say not a single farmer from Madhya Pradesh is included in it because the government sitting in Bhopal has no concern for farmers," he said.

"The state government has not yet send us the list of beneficiary farmers (for the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana)," Modi said at a BJP 'Vijay Sankalp' rally here.

Hitting out at the Kamal Nath government, he said the state government felt it would "lose face (unki naak kat jayegi)" if farmers from Madhya Pradesh get benefits from a scheme run by the Centre.

But this state government should first look into the mirror to see if its "naak (prestige)" has been saved, he told the crowd.

Modi also targeted Congress president Rahul Gandhi for claiming during the November 2018 state assembly poll campaign that his party would waive farm loans within 10 days of coming to power, or would change its chief minister in case the 10-day deadline was not adhered to.

"The Congress has tried to fool the people as farm loans have not been completely waived (even after the 10-day promise). But the party's chief minister is yet to be changed," Modi said.

Taking a swipe at the previous UPA government, Modi said, "The then UPA government, after laying the foundation stone for the Indore-Dahod rail line, had forgotten it. But our government is now completing it."