Prime Minister Narendra Modi is at the Kumbh Mela where he offered prayers by the Ganga, soon after he launched the government's ambitious income-transfer scheme.
At the Kumbh, the prime minister participated in the Swachh Kumbh Swachh Aabhaar event, organized by Ministry of Drinking Water and Sanitation. He will distribute the Swachh Kumbh Swachh Aabhaar awards to 'Safai karmacharis' (sanitation employees), 'swachhagrahis', police personnel and 'naviks' (boatmen). "There will also be the digital announcement of Swachh Seva Samman Benefits package," said the statement issued by Prime Minister's Office. PM will later address the gathering.
The Prime Minister was seen stepping into the water as he offered prayers at Kumbh Mela and later performed an 'Aarthi' at the Triveni.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) was at a farmers' rally, earlier in the day, in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur. It is the cash-transfer scheme for small and marginal farmers. It is a major populist step by the Modi government to offset a challenging spell of rural crisis brought on by unprofitable sales of farm commodities.
Here are the UPDATES of PM Modi at Kumbh Mela 2019:
Had the good fortune of taking a holy dip at the #Kumbh. Prayed for the well being of 130 Crore Indians. pic.twitter.com/jTI2QbmWxb
- Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) February 24, 2019
- A number of efforts are being made to the farmers to get fair prices of produce and lower their costs.
- The e-NAM platform is working to connect hundreds of markets across the country.
- This will give the farmers the option to sell their produce online in any market in the country directly.
- It is our government which meets the years old demand of farmers at MSP.
- More than 50% of the support price cost of 22 Rabi and Kharif crops has been fixed.
- Prime crop insurance scheme to save farmers from weathering has also been created.
- Our government is spending about Rs 1 lakh crore on the Pradhan Mantri Krishi irrigation scheme.
- We are putting such a huge amount so that the irrigation projects in the country were incomplete for 30-40 years, to be fulfilled
- We had selected 99 projects across the country from which more than 70 are now coming into being completed.
- Because of these projects, farmers are getting irrigation facilities on millions of hectares of land.
- This is the work that will benefit farmers for many generations to come
- The money that the central government sends to the farmer goes to their account directly.
- PM-Kisan has also made sure that no one can snatch the farmer's Rights
- The things that people previously considered impossible are possible.
- Over the last four and a half years, the government has given more than 17 crore of a million health cards in two phases.
"This is just the beginning. Every year, an approximate amount of Rs 75,000 crore will be directly put in the farmers' bank accounts": Prime Minister @narendramodi
- NDTV (@ndtv) February 24, 2019
Watch LIVE now on NDTV 24x7 and https://t.co/hMlRpgrUU6
Track updates: https://t.co/CRN1hZdbxZ pic.twitter.com/QISzU9hxSK
- India stands with our farmers.
- Today is not an ordinary day. Today's day is going to be recorded in history.
- Lal Bahadur Shastri Ji gave the slogan 'Jai Jawan Jai Kissan' slogan.
- We are making sure that the promised amount is being sent to their bank accounts, homes.
- Its starting on an auspicious note. I congratulate Gorakhpur people for witnessing the launch of the scheme.
- Previous governments talked a lot, made lot of schemes on paper but their intention was not to strengthen farmer, but to leave them hanging for small things.
- They could never take right decisions for farmers.
- You gave us the opportunity to serve you.
- We took care of the smallest needs and worked on bringing relief to farmers.
- I have had the privilege of transferring the first installment of the scheme to the bank accounts of farmers in the country.
- I am told that the farmers of 21 states-Union territories of the country are involved.
- This is just the beginning.
- Under the scheme, nearly 75 thousand crore rupees are directly accessible to farmers ' accounts every year.
- The 12 crore small farmers in the country who have 5 acres or less land will benefit from it.
- Farmers who have not received the first installment today will get the first installment amount in the coming weeks.
- The PM-Kisan money that will be given to farmers will be given on behalf of the central government.
- State governments to send list of farmers who avail this scheme to central government
Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi launches Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi in Gorakhpur. #PMKisan pic.twitter.com/mKKGwcIB2q
- BJP (@BJP4India) February 24, 2019
- People are angry after the Pulwama attack but this anger needs to be directed towards ending terrorism
- There's angst in all our hearts. I salute the soldiers who sacrificed their lives.
- Their sacrifice will motivate us and strengthen our resolve
- After the martyrdom of the heroic soldiers, the inspiring words of their families have given a new thrust to the courage of the whole nation
- In Bihar's Bhagalpur, the father of the martyr Ratan Thakur, Ramniranji, in this hour of grief, has displayed such spirit which inspires all of us
- When the body of the martyr Vijay Shoren, wrapped in tricolor, reached Jharkhand's Gulla, his innocent son said that even he would join the army.
- The spirit of this innocent is reflective of what every child in the country is feeling today.
- Such sentiments can be seen at the homes of the soldiers who lost their lives.
लघु एवं सीमांत किसान परिवारों को मोदी सरकार की सौगात
- BJP Uttar Pradesh (@BJP4UP) February 24, 2019
मा. प्रधानमंत्री श्री @narendramodi के कर कमलों से 24 फरवरी, 2019 को सुबह 11:30 बजे गोरखपुर, उत्तर प्रदेश pic.twitter.com/6f4KAUia8d
I welcome our Hon. PM Shri @narendramodi ji and extend hearty thanks on behalf of all the farmers and people of Uttar Pradesh.
- Yogi Adityanath (@myogiadityanath) February 24, 2019
Jai Kisan
- PM Modi will launch the Rs. 75,000-crore Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme in Uttar Pradesh's Gorakhpur today.
- The centre had announced the PM-KISAN scheme in the interim Budget 2019-20.
- 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.
- The scheme is seen as a part of the government's effort to address farm distress caused by lower sales of foodgrain, oilseeds, sugarcane, cotton and horticulture crops.
- The funds will be electronically transferred to the bank accounts of beneficiaries through a pattern similar to MGNREGS.
- PM Modi will also distribute certificates among select farmers under the PM-KISAN scheme and interact with select beneficiaries through video conferencing at the Gorakhpur event.
- The first instalment will be delivered by the Prime Minister to approximately 1.7 crore farmers.