Centre’s farmer scheme would cost Maharashtra Rs 7,200 cr

Shiv Kumar
Tribune News Service
Mumbai, February 8

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme, under which small farmers would be given relief of Rs 6,000 a year, would cost the Maharashtra government Rs 7,200 crore in the next financial year, according to estimates prepared by the state finance department.

"So far there is no word on how much of the funds will come from the central government. But the state government is preparing to pay the first instalment of Rs 2000 per beneficiary at the earliest," an official from the department said.

According to Maharashtra Revenue and Agriculture Minister Chandrakant Patil, around 1.20 crore farmers are expected to benefit under this scheme. Like in the earlier farm loan waiver scheme announced by the state government, farmers who hold jobs in the state or self-government bodies are not eligible for this relief.

Under this scheme a farmer holding up to two hectares of land and having children younger than 18 are eligible for relief.

Patil said the state government would use the same records under which loan waiver was given to farmers to dole out the relief as well.