BOUDH: Union Minister of Petroleum and Natural Gas Dharmendra Pradhan launched the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (PMKSNY) in Kantamal here on Sunday.
PMSNY is a Central scheme aimed at providing financial assistance of Rs 6,000 per annum to small and marginal farmers. Speaking on the occasion, Pradhan said PMKSNY was not implemented earlier because the State Government was of the opinion that all credit for the scheme would go to Prime Minister Narendra Modi.
He said in the first phase, the State Government has submitted a list of 9 lakh farmers to the Centre for inclusion in the scheme against a total of 12 lakh farmers in Odisha. He accused the State Government of keeping eligible farmers away from the scheme. “The sarpanchs are preparing the list by including the names of BJD workers by taking bribes,” Pradhan alleged.