Bengal CM announces electricity subsidy for four lakh farmers
Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari also promised a Rs 50 per quintal subsidy for potato growers and special packages for three districts.
West Bengal Chief Minister Suvendu Adhikari announced several welfare measures for farmers on Thursday, including an electricity subsidy for four lakh farmers in the state. According to reports by ThePrint and Telegraph India, the announcement was made during an event in Pursurah, Hooghly district.
Adhikari promised a special package for cultivators in the Alipurduar, Jhargram, and Purulia districts. He also stated that potato growers would receive a subsidy of Rs 50 per quintal and would be permitted to send their produce to other states.
The Chief Minister said that 46 lakh farmers in West Bengal would receive benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme. Under this Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) scheme, the Union government provides Rs 6,000 per year to farmers' families in three equal instalments.
In June, Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the 23rd instalment of the PM-KISAN scheme, which was worth Rs 18,880 crore. More than Rs 900 crore of that amount was meant for beneficiaries in West Bengal.
Adhikari said the BJP government in West Bengal is committed to farmers' welfare.