ALL BENEFITS REACHING RIGHT PERSONS: PM

Why in news?

Every penny dispatched from Delhi was reaching its rightful beneficiary said the Prime Minister in Bundelkhand, where he had been to lay the foundation stone for the Bundelkhand Expressway.

Details of the announcement

• Over 50,000 crore had been directly deposited into the bank accounts of around 8.5 crore farmer families in the country under the PM-KISAN scheme in the past year.
• Of this sum – 12,000 crore was deposited in the accounts of 2 crore farmers in U.P. itself.
• The PM Emphasized that this was done without the involvement of any intermediaries, without any recommendation or discrimination or bribes.
• In Chitrakoot, Mr. Modi launched 10,000 farmers producers’ organizations all over the country. A Farmer Producer Organisation (FPO) is a legal entity formed by primary producers, i.e., farmers. A PO can be a producer company, a cooperative society or any other legal form which provides for sharing of profits/benefits among the members.

Benefits of the Bundelkhand Expressway

• The expressway would alter lives in Bundelkhand, creating thousands of employment opportunities
• It would Link the region to big cities.
• It would “speed up” the Defence Corridor that is coming up in the region.
• Bundelkhand would be known for making India self-reliant in the manufacture of arms and ammunition.

About PM- KISAN

• Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi is a central sector scheme under the government of India which provides income support to the farmers and their families.
• PM-KISAN scheme was launched on 24 February 2019.
• Under this scheme, all small and marginal farmers will be provided with income support of Rs.6,000 per year in three instalments which will be deposited directly to their bank accounts.
• It is a Central Sector scheme with 100% funding from Government of India.
• It is under Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.

The main objectives of PM-KISAN scheme are:

1. To provide income support to all eligible land-holding farmers and their families.
2. PM-KISAN scheme also aims to supplement the financial needs of the farmers in procuring various inputs to ensure proper crop health and appropriate yields, commensurate with the anticipated farm income.
3. The scheme is expected to increase the coverage of PM-KISAN to around 14.5 crore beneficiaries. It aims to cover around 2 crores more farmers with an estimated expenditure of Rs. 87,217.50 crores that will be funded by the Central Government for the year 2019-20.

Some of the categories of beneficiaries who are NOT eligible for benefit under this scheme are:

1. Any institutional land-holders.
2. The farmer as well as any member of the family belonging to the following categories:
   1. Former and present holders of constitutional posts
   2. Former and present Ministers/ State Ministers
   3. Former or present members of LokSabha/ RajyaSabha/ State Legislative Assemblies/ State Legislative Councils
   4. Former and present Mayors of Municipal Corporations
   5. Former and present Chairpersons of District Panchayats.
   6. Any serving or retired officers as well as employees under the Central/ State Government Ministries /Offices/Departments.
   7. All retired pensioners who get a monthly pension of Rs.10,000/-or more and belonging to the above category.
   8. Any individual who paid their income tax in the last assessment year is not eligible under this scheme.
   9. Professionals like Doctors, Engineers, Lawyers, Chartered Accountants, and Architects registered with Professional bodies and carrying out profession by undertaking practices.