PM releases over ₹16K-cr under PM-KISAN scheme

Belagavi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday released the 13th instalment of funds worth over Rs 16,000 crore under PM-KISAN scheme, through direct benefit transfer to more than eight crore beneficiaries.

Under the scheme, eligible farmer families are provided Rs 6,000 per year in three equal instalments of Rs 2,000 each.

The scheme, launched in 2019, aims to provide income support to landholder farmer families with cultivable land, subject to specific exclusions. Till now, over Rs 2.25 lakh crore funds have been disbursed to more than 11 crore farmer families, primarily the small and marginal.

According to officials, during the Covid lockdown, Rs 1.75 lakh crore were distributed in multiple instalments to support these farmers facing hardship. The scheme has benefited over three crore women beneficiaries who have collectively received over `53,600 crore in funds.

He also laid the foundation stone and dedicated to the nation multiple development projects worth more than `2,700 crore in Karnataka’s northern districts bordering Maharashtra.

Addressing a large gathering after a massive roadshow, Modi accused the Congress of disrespecting Karnataka and its leaders, especially its president Mallikarjun Kharge.

"I want to remind you how Congress hates Karnataka. It is part of the old culture of Congress to humiliate leaders from Karnataka. If the ‘family in Congress,’ has any problem with anybody, they are humiliated. Everybody knows how leaders like S. Nijalingappa and Veerendra Patil (former Chief Ministers of Karnataka who hailed from the North Karnataka region) were humiliated," Modi said.

“I have great respect for Mallikarjun Kharge, who has a long political career. He has served the people in whatever way possible. But I was saddened when I saw the situation during the Congress meeting at Chhattisgarh (Plenary session). Everybody was standing in the sun. But AICC president Kharge who is senior both in age and party did not get a chance to stand under the shade of an umbrella. Umbrella was held for someone standing next to him,” Modi said without naming Sonia Gandhi.

Using the occasion at a public meeting at Belagavi to hit out at the Congress, he targeted “dynastic parties”, comments which are also seen to be targeted at former Prime Minister H.D. Deve Gowda's JD(S), besides the Kharge-led party.