28 lakh Gujarat farmers to receive Rs 571 crore within week

AHMEDABAD: In a landscape where thousands of

farmers

are struggling to get crop insurance claims, the Union government has already distributed Rs 571 crore to around 28 lakh farmers under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sanman Yojana (

PMKSY

). Another Rs 571 crore will be disbursed within this week. The subsidy will be directly credited to bank accounts of farmers, and the BJP is banking on the move to swing rural votes in its favour.


Out of the promise to pay Rs 6,000 per annum to each beneficiary under the scheme, the Union government has already paid Rs 2,000 each to around 28 lakh farmers, with the second instalment ready to be deposited into farmers’ accounts just before the

Lok Sabha

poll is held on April 23. Considering the widespread farmers’ unrest over crop insurance claims, the state government also used other schemes to appease rural voters. In 93 talukas, where

water scarcity

have been declared, the state government has in the last three months released special grants of Rs 1,620 crore for farmers and has also given crop insurance of Rs 2,046 crore. The state’s civil supply department is also going all out in its purchase of farm produce.