Prime Minister Narendra Modi did no special favour to farmers by releasing the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi fund, which was due to them a month ago but delayed by the poll code, the Congress said on Monday.
Congress general secretary Jairam Ramesh said the release of the 17th instalment of funds, which Modi is touting as the first decision of his new government, is the legitimate entitlement due to farmers, according to the policy of his government.
If he is genuinely concerned about farmers, the prime minister should grant legal status to minimum support price (MSP) for their produce, announce a farm loan waiver and provide guaranteed insurance payment directly into their bank accounts, he said.
Taking charge as prime minister in his third term, Modi on Monday signed his first file authorising the release of the 17th instalment of the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi fund, amounting to nearly Rs 20,000 crore that will benefit around 9.3 crore farmers. After signing on to the release of the fund, Modi said, "Ours is a government fully committed to 'kisan kalyan (farmers' welfare)'.
