Agri outlay saw six-fold rise to Rs 1.34 lakh crore under 'pro-farmer' Modi regime: Jal Shakti Minister

Ravi S Singh

Tribune News Service

New Delhi, December 25

Union Minister of State for Jal Shakti and Social Justice and Empowerment Rattan Lal Kataria has said Prime Minister Narendra Modi would mark the ‘Good Governance Day’ on Friday by transferring Rs 18,000 crore directly into the bank accounts of 9 crore farmers under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana.

“Good Governance Day” is celebrated on December 25 on the occasion of the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister late Atal Behari Vajpayee.

Hitting out at the Opposition for allegedly “misleading” farmers about farm laws, Kataria, who represents Ambala Lok Sabha seat from Haryana, said the government had progressively  increased the MSP for crops.

“In the year 2019-20, It cumulatively increased the MSP up to 2.5 times compared to the year 2013-14,” Kataria said.

Defending the government, he said it increased the budgetary outlay for agriculture sector from Rs 21,933 crore in the year 2013-14 to Rs 1,34,399 in the year 2020-21, an increase of almost six times.

Under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, Rs 95,779 crore has been transferred till date, benefitting more than 10 crore farmers across the country.

He listed other Union Government schemes, including Neem Coated Urea, Soil Health cards, PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana and Kisan Rails to buttress its bonafides towards the agriculture sector.