West Bengal will implement PM-Kisan scheme says West Bengal CM

The West Bengal government led by Mamata Banerjee on January 4 indicated to implement the Central government's PM Kisan Yojana for farmers in the state. Earlier, the Chief Minister had stated that the money should be transferred to the state but now she said that her government has no problem if the money is directly transferred to farmers.

Banerjee, during a press meet here, also said that she would make arrangements to convene an assembly session soon for passing a resolution against the three contentious farm laws, which have sparked protests across the country.

“I had repeatedly asked the Centre to transfer funds allotted under the PM-Kisan scheme to the state government.

Recently, they (central government officials) claimed that around 21.7 lakh farmers from Bengal have registered themselves on a portal to avail benefits of the scheme. “They (Centre) have sought verification of this data.

Banerjee said, “I understood that the Centre was trying to politicise the matter. We realised that farmers should not suffer because of this… I have asked the Centre to pass on the data so that we can start the verification process.”

The chief minister further added that she would want the farmers of the state to get all possible help, in addition to the assistance being doled out by her government.

In the past, she had opposed the implementation of Central schemes, saying that her government would allow PM- Kisan Samman Nidhi and Ayushman Bharat programmes in the state, only if funds to the beneficiaries are routed through the state government.