Budget 2019: No benefit of the direct transfer scheme to farmers with higher land holding

Farmer's representatives are not happy with the Budget 2019-20 announcement about direct benefit transfer of Rs 6000/year to account of farmers. This cannot compensate for the losses farmers have to bear due to market prices ruling below the MSP, the said.

"The scheme announcing benefit of Rs 500/month to farmers is nothing but their mockery done by the government," said Dr Ajit Navale, state general secretary, All India Kisan Sabha.

Finance minister Piyush Goyal said that the scheme will benefit 12 crore farmers, who have land holding upto 2 hectares.


"This condition on land holding will make the farmers from drought-prone areas of Vidarbha and Marathwada, who traditionally have higher land holdings, ineligible to get benefit of the scheme," said Navale, adding, "Agriculture is in crisis due to government policies. Farmers are bearing losses amounting to crores of rupees every day as market prices rule below the MSP. In such a situation, we were expecting complete loan waiver, scheme for protection from the fluctuations in prices and some relief measures to face the drought in the country."