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Updated: Feb 24, 2019 17:06 IST

Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the Rs 75,000 crore Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme in Uttar Pradesh’s Gorakhpur on Sunday. Intended to benefit 12 crore farmers across India, the cash transfer scheme proposes to give Rs 6,000 to farmers in three instalments annually.

PM Modi, who started the speech by invoking former prime minister Lal Bahadur Shastri’s famous slogan “Jai Jawan, Jai Kisaan”, said the cash transfer scheme will make the lives of farmers easier. He questioned the intention of earlier governments and claimed that their schemes were only limited to only being implemented on paper. Follow live updates

Modi took the occasion to take a swipe at opposition and accused them of spreading lies about the cash transfer programme. “They turned pale when we declared about the PM-Kisan scheme in Parliament,” he said.

The prime minister slammed the Congress for “remembering” about the woes of farmers only in 10 years and said that the farm loan waiver announced by Congress state governments is a sham.“Earlier governments talked lot , made scheme on papers but did nothing for farmers empowerment.They made a hue and cry by giving Rs 52,000 crore in 10 years while the PM-KISAN scheme will disburse 7.5 lakh crore,” he added.

Modi interacted with farmers from across the country via video conferencing after launching the farmer income scheme. Calling it a historic day, Modi had tweeted that the PM-KISAN scheme that will give wings to the aspirations of crores of hardworking farmers of India who feed our nation. The launch of the scheme demonstrated two things, Modi said — NDA’s unwavering commitment to farmer welfare and speedy decision making, being launched on February 24 after having announced it on February 1.

Also read: Congress’s P Chidambaram calls govt’s farmer income scheme a ‘bribe for votes’

Minutes after Prime Minister Narendra Modi launched the cash transfer scheme, Bahujan Samaj Party (BSP) boss Mayawati slammed it as an “insult” to farmers. She said the PM-KISAN only translated to RS 17 per day for a farmer which is a pittance.

Over 12 crore farmers holding up to two hectares of land are expected to benefit from the scheme which is being rolled out at a cost of Rs 75,000 crore annually. About one crore farmers were given the first instalment of Rs 2,000 on Sunday. The money will be directly transferred into the accounts of beneficiaries.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) would not only provide assured supplemental income to the most vulnerable farmer families, but would also meet their emergent needs especially before the harvest season. PM-KISAN would pave the way for the farmers to earn and live a respectable living, the agriculture ministry has said.

The existing land-ownership system in the concerned states/UTs will be used for identification of beneficiaries. Those whose names appear in land records as on February 1, 2019, are eligible for benefit.