AIKSCC condemns the wilful and politically motivated non-action, negligence and apathy of the State & Central Govt. in paying the lawful dues of more than 70 lac Bengal Farmers under Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme (KISAN Scheme) since February 2019. It may be remembered that the KISAN Scheme is a publicly funded scheme of the Central Govt. launched on 1st February 2019 with retrospective effect from 1st December 2018.
Under this Scheme, all farmers of India are entitled to receive Rs.6000 per annum as financial support, in 3 tranches of Rs.2,000, payable on 1st April, 1st August and 1st December. Unfortunately since inception, Farmers of Bengal have been deprived of payment under the Scheme because the State Govt. has failed to certify the land records of applicant farmers and the Central Govt. has not used resources and database at its disposal to overcome the obstacles placed by the State Govt. to ensure that Bengal Farmers receive the payment. This political game played by the TMC ruled State Govt. and BJP ruled Central Govt. at the grave and unfortunate cost of Bengal Farmers persists till date and 6 instalments of Rs.2000 (aggregating to Rs.12,000) have become due to Bengal Farmers. Additionally, the 7th instalment of Rs.2000 shall become due on 1st April 2021. Thus, in aggregate, every Bengal Farmer has become entitled to receive Rs.14,000 but has not received a single rupee due to petty politics being played by the TMC and BJP. Bengal Farmers have been constantly agitating to receive this payment but their demands have fallen on deaf ears.
Recently the Chief Minister has mentioned in her speech in the State Assembly that the State Govt. has written to the Central Govt. agreeing to expedite the certification process. The CM has further clarified that out of the reported 22 lac farmers registered in the Central Govt. portal (which figure has been repeatedly confirmed by senior BJP functionaries), data of 6 lac farmers has been received by the State Govt. out of which and 2.5 lac data has been cleared by the State Govt. AIKSCC calls upon the Central & State Govt. to come clean on all facts, figures, data and statistics about number of applications made by Bengal Farmers under the KISAN Scheme, status of verification of the applications etc. Despite the above assertions of the CM, not a single farmer has received payment from the Central Govt. under PM KISAN.
AIKSCC Demands that the State Govt. and the Central Govt. immediately and on war-footing coordinate with each other and:
(1) the State Govt. hold camps at Panchayet level to register all eligible farmers within 15 days
(2) the State Govt. certify all documents of eligible farmers within 7 days of registration
(3) the Central Govt. make appropriate modification in the KISAN Scheme to make Bengal Farmers eligible for arrear payment
(4) the Central Govt. make payment of entire arrears of Rs.12,000 to all registered and eligible farmers within 7 days of certification by State Govt.
AIKSCC expresses shock and dismay at the Prime Minister’s recent announcement at an electoral rally in Haldia that payment under KISAN Scheme to Bengal farmers shall be made only after BJP come to power in West Bengal. The statement of the PM smacks of political opportunism and is illegal and unconstitutional. When all farmers of India are eligible to receive payment under KISAN Scheme irrespective of who they vote for, how can Bengal Farmers be singled out to become eligible for payment only if they vote for BJP? How can the PM link the Central Govts. decision and action of payment of arrears to Bengal Farmers with the electoral success of his party in West Bengal – the State Govt. has no role/right to decide about payment of arrears and it is the Central Govt. headed by the PM that has to decide this. How can the PM deprive payment to Bengal Farmers who, according to he himself, have already registered under the Scheme?
To ensure that the demand of the Bengal Farmers to receive payment under KISAN Scheme is heeded and acted upon by the State and Central Govt., AIKSCC announces “Kisan Adhikar Yatra” by constituent organisations. The first Yatra shall be held from 10-12 February at Sunderbans and more Yatras in all districts of Bengal shall soon follow. In addition, AIKSCC’s constituent organisations shall arrange Mass Demonstrations by Farmers at Panchayat, Block & District Levels in all Districts of Bengal. AIKSCC shall also write to the PM, CM, MPs & MLAs of Bengal demanding that they take necessary action for immediate payment of all dues of Bengal Farmers under KISAN Scheme.
