Farmers are backbone of country’s economy: Union Minister Hardeep Puri

Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Hardeep Singh Puri attended a programme organised at Guru Nanak Dev University here on Monday on the occasion of the release of the 19th instalment of PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana.

Addressing gathering on the occasion, Puri said, “The foremost priority of the Central Government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is welfare of farmers. Farmers are the backbone of India’s economy. They are protectors of our land and our food security.”

He said, “Our farmers now have become producers of energy. Earlier total ethanol blending was 1.5 per cent, but now it has reached 19.6 per cent, due to which farmers have been paid approximately Rs 90,000 crore. The Central Government is making continuous efforts to increase ethanol blending across the country, which will benefit farmers.”

He claimed that the prices of petrol and diesel had come down in the past three years. Puri said, “An amount of Rs 3.45 lakh crore has been distributed among more than 11 crore farmers through 18 instalments of the PM-Kisan Nidhi Yojana. With the release of the 19th instalment, a total of Rs 3.68 lakh crore will reach accounts of farmers.”

“With the release of the 19th instalment, more than 9.8 crore farmers, including 2.41 crore women farmers, across the country have benefited,” he said.

After his address, the Union Minister honoured farmers and dignitaries. While raising questions on the performance of the Aam Aadmi Party’s state government, the Union Minister said many promises made before the elections, including check on consumption of drugs and crediting Rs 1,000 per month in account of each woman of the state, had not been fulfilled.