Prime Minister Narendra Modi's mega scheme for farmers that will be rolled out today was equated to ''bribe for votes'' by senior Congress leader P Chidambaram. Mr Chidambaram's attack came hours before PM Modi launched the Rs. 75,000 crore scheme in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur by transferring the first instalment of Rs. 2,000 each to over one crore farmers.
Mr Chidambaram said the "greater shame" is that the Election Commission is unable to stop it.
"Today is the ''Cash for Vote'' day. The BJP government will officially give a bribe of Rs 2000 per agricultural family to get their votes," Mr Chidambaram said in a series of tweets.
The money will go to the cultivating farmer as well as the absentee landlord.
— P. Chidambaram (@PChidambaram_IN) February 24, 2019
"Nothing can be more shameful in a democracy than ''Bribe for Votes''. The greater shame is that the Election Commission is unable to stop the ''Bribe for Votes''," he tweeted.
Under the scheme, another one crore farmers will be covered in the next two to three days, an Agriculture Ministry official had said.
The govenrment had announced the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme in the interim Budget earlier this month. Under this programme, Rs. 6,000 will be paid to 12 crore small and marginal farmers holding cultivable land of up to two hectares per year in three instalments.
In the interim Budget 2019-20, the central government had announced the PM-KISAN scheme under which Rs 6,000 per year will be given in three instalments to 12 crore small and marginal farmers holding cultivable land up to two hectares.
PM Modi said the project's launch demonstrates two things: the NDA's unwavering commitment to farmer welfare and speedy decision-making. "A scheme announced on February 1 has become reality in such a short span. This is the new work culture of New India," he said.
(With inputs from PTI)
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