Mamata Banerjee, Chief Minister of West Bengal announced a comprehensive assistance package totaling Rs 3,193 crore to support the state's farmers and sharecroppers. This includes Rs 2,900 crore under the Krishak Bandhu welfare scheme and Rs 293 crore as compensation for crop losses due to adverse weather conditions under Bangla Shasya Bima Scheme.
The Krishak Bandhu scheme, launched in 2019, has already provided Rs 3,133 crore to 10 million affected farmers. This year, the state government is releasing Rs 2,900 crore directly into the bank accounts of approximately 10.5 million farmers and sharecroppers.
This is the first installment of financial assistance for the Kharif season of 2024, with a second installment planned for the Rabi season later this year. Under this scheme, farmers with cultivable land of one acre or more receive Rs 10,000 annually, while those with smaller plots receive a proportional amount, with a minimum of Rs 4,000 per year.
Moreover, the state is disbursing Rs 293 crore to 2.10 lakh farmers who have suffered crop losses due to adverse weather during the current Rabi season. This compensation is provided under the Bangla Shasya Bima (BSB) scheme, a unique crop insurance initiative where the state government pays the entire premium for all crops.
Chief Minister Banerjee highlighted the state's commitment to the economic betterment and social security of its farmers. Since the inception of the Krishak Bandhu scheme, a total of Rs 18,234 crore has been transferred to farmers' accounts. The scheme also includes a death compensation component, where families of farmers who die between the ages of 18 and 60 receive Rs 2 lakh. To date, 112,000 bereaved families have received Rs 2,240 crore in compensation.
I am happy to announce that (apart from providing Rs. 2,900 cr. assistance to 1 crore 5 lakh farmers and bargadars across the state under the Krishak Bandhu Natun Scheme), we are also releasing today onwards a sum of Rs 293 crore directly to the bank accounts of our 2.10 lakh…
— Mamata Banerjee (@MamataOfficial) June 12, 2024
This financial support underscores the West Bengal government's dedication to enhancing the welfare and security of its agricultural community.
