CAN FEEL PAIN OF THE PEOPLE, SAYS MODI; RELEASES FUNDS UNDER PM-KISAN SCHEME

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday said he felt the pain people have endured amid the second wave of Covid-19 as he released the eighth instalment of over ₹20,000 crore to more than 95 million farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme at a virtual event. This is the first instalment of PM Kisan for the financial year 2021-22.

During the event, the Prime Minister also interacted with six farmer beneficiaries from six states -- Uttar Pradesh, Andhra Pradesh, Meghalaya, Andaman and Nicobar Islands, Jammu and Kashmir, and Maharashtra.

The PM said, “There is an invisible enemy in front of us. We have lost many of our close ones. I can feel the pain that people have endured for some time now.”

In his 23-minute address, the Prime Minister encouraged organic farming and said, “We are promoting organic farming because the cost of such crops is low, they are beneficial for soil and human health, and they also bring a higher price. Organic farming delivers more profit and is now being practised across the nation by young farmers.”

For the first time on Friday, the benefits under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Scheme reached farmers of West Bengal as about 7.03 lakh of them got ₹2,000 each under the programme launched more than two years ago.