Vice President Naidu launches state DBT scheme for farmers in Jharkhand

Vice President M Venkaiah Naidu on Saturday launched the Jharkhand government's 'Mukhya Mantri Krishi Ashirwad Yojana' under which money would be directly transferred into the bank accounts of farmers in the state.

Under the scheme, beneficiaries having farm land of less than one acre to five acres, will get Rs 5,000 to Rs 25,000 in their bank accounts.

As soon as Naidu launched the scheme, money was transferred into the bank accounts of farmers, and some them showed their mobile phones with the money transfer message to the vice-president.

"I saw the happiness in the face of the farmers who showed me the message on their mobile phones. I congratulate the government and the farmers on the occasion," Naidu said.

He said the Centre has taken a pledge to double the income of farmers by 2022 and in that endeavour, the government is continuously increasing minimum support price (MSP) for 23 farm produce.

Calling for conservation of rainwater in view of depletion of ground water, Naidu said conservation of rainwater should be made people's movement and hoped that farmers would use traditional method to help conserve ground water.

Praising the Centre and the state government's efforts in protecting the interests of "annadata" (food providers), Naidu stressed on the importance of developing village and recalled the efforts made by him when he was the Union Rural Development minister.

"You need to have a structural change in the agricultural sector, and it should be the top priority," he said.

According to an official statement, under the Mukhya Mantri Krishi Ashirwad Yojana, approximately 35 lakh farmers will be benefited and by September/October and Rs 3,000 crore would be sent in the accounts of the beneficiaries.

The launching ceremony was also held in other 23 districts, apart from Ranchi.

Under the scheme, Rs 5,000 is given to those farmers having one acre or less agricultural land, Rs 10,000 to those having two acres, Rs 15,000 for having three acres, Rs 20,000 for having four acres and Rs 25,000 for having five acres of agricultural land.

This is scheme apart from the benefits the farmers are getting under Centre's PM-Kisan Yojana.