The State Government will launch the Farmers’ Pension Scheme from August 15 (Independence Day.) Under this, the farmers will be given Rs 800 per month as pension. The purpose of this programme is to encourage farmers for forming. Necessory directions were given to all DMs by the Chief Secretary Subhash Kumar through video conferencing at the Secretariat on Wedenesday.
This pension program is being introduced to discourage the increasing disinterest towards farming in hills.
The Principal Secretary Social Welfare S Raju said that this pension will be given to every farmer who is over 60 years of age and does not get pension of any other kind. He has asked the DMs to identify 100 farmers in every district. These farmers will be awarded pension on 15th August and the program will be introduced in all districts of the state. He has also asked them to get the account numbers as well as cellphone numbers of the beneficiaries filled in the form. If someone does not have a cell phone, then in that case the number of the closest kin or the village head can be taken. This will ensure that the pension is deposited on monthly basis. An SMS alert will also be sent on the mobile to notify the farmers.
The Chief Secretary also reviewed the preparations of Raaj Jaat Yatra to be held in Almora, Bageshwar and Chamoli with the DMS of the districts concerned.