PM Narendra Modi to address farmers, release Rs 18,000 crore aid under PM-Kisan scheme

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NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Friday (December 25) release the next instalment of financial benefit under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) at 12 noon via video conferencing. With the push of a button, the Prime Minister will enable the transfer of more than Rs 18,000 crores to more than 9 crores beneficiary farmer families.

The Prime Minister will also have a conversation with farmers from six different states during the event. The farmers will share their experiences with PM-KISAN and also on various other initiatives taken by the government for the welfare of farmers. Union Agriculture Minister will also be present on the occasion.

BJP general secretary Arun Singh told reporters that the party has made arrangements for farmers' participation in more than 19,000 venues across the country, and the party's members will also be present. In Uttar Pradesh alone, more than 3,000 venues have been chosen, he said. While one crore farmers will directly participate, over five crore of them will hear Modi's speech, he claimed, saying the party will observe the exercise like a festival. "Despite protests in some places, the country's farmers have been standing with Modi," Singh said, citing a number of government schemes to benefit them.

Home Minister Amit Shah will attend the programme in Mehrauli in the national capital while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be in Sector 15 in Dwarka here.

The exercise comes at a time when some farmer unions have been agitating for weeks at Delhi's borders against the three recently enacted farm laws and seeking that the legislations be repealed, a demand rejected by the government which has described them as beneficial for farmers.

Speaking about the event, Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said, "On December 25, nine crore farmers will receive Rs 18,000 crores in their accounts as part of PM Kisan Saman Nidhi Yojna. PM Narendra Modi will be the Chief Guest. By last evening, 2 crores farmers have registered themselves for this online event." 

About PM-KISAN scheme:

Under the PM-KISAN Scheme, a financial benefit of Rs 6000 per year is provided to the eligible beneficiary farmers, payable in three equal 4-monthly installments of Rs 2000 each. The fund is transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.