Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday transferred around Rs 19,000 crores in to the bank accounts of 9.5 crore farmers across the country under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN). Modi also lauded the efforts of country`s farmers who created records in agriculture and gardening despite the onslaught of the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

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Farmers from West Bengal will benefit from the scheme for the first time, the Prime Minister said while speaking on the occasion. 

"On this auspicious day of Akshaya Tritya, around Rs 19,000 crore have directly been transferred to the bank accounts of farmers. It would benefit close to 10 crore farmers. For the first time, farmers from West Bengal will be benefitted from this scheme," ANI reported quoting the PM.
 
He added that the government had purchased 10 per cent more wheat on minimum support price (MSP) this year. "Amid the difficult challenges of COVID-19, farmers have made records in agriculture and gardening while the government is also setting new records on procurement on MSP every year. In comparison to last year, 10 per cent more wheat has been purchased on MSP this year," he said.
 
"The government is constantly striving to provide new solutions, new options in farming. Such efforts are to promote organic farming. The cost of such crops is also low, they are beneficial for the soil, are healthy, and can fetch a higher price," he added.

Under the PM-KISAN scheme, a financial benefit of Rs. 6,000- per year is provided to the eligible beneficiary farmer families, payable in three equal 4-monthly installments of Rs 2000 each.

The fund is transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries. In this scheme, Samman Rashi of over Rs 1. 15 lakh crores have been transferred to farmer families so far.