The State had targeted to provide subsidies to 54,51,194 farmers under various Centre and State Government-run schemes in three years from 2012-13 to 2014-15, informed Minister Debi Prasad Mishra on behalf of Agriculture Minister Pradeep Maharathy in the State Assembly on Wednesday. Misha said this while replying to a question put by Congress member Naba Kishore Das and additional questions by other members. Mishra said that over Rs 3,166.93 crore was targeted to be paid to these farmers. The amount includes Rs 907.27 crore under the Central Plan and Rs 2259.91 crore under the State Plan.
The Minister informed that the number of Central farmers’ subsidy schemes have come down to eight now while the number of subsidy schemes run by the State Government has increased to 18. Das wanted to know why only 54 lakh farmers are being paid subsidies while there are nearly three crore farmers in the State.