All BJP MPs and MLAs to join Atal Bihari Vajpayee's birth anniversary celebration on Dec 25

New Delhi: All BJP MPs and MLAs would participate on December 25, preferably from their constituencies, along with farmers in Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s special virtual address on former PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s birth anniversary. Modi will dwell in detail on the new farm laws, converse with some of the farmers about their “positive experience with the new farm laws” and transfer Rs 18,000 crore to nine crore farmers as the instalment of the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme, senior officials have told ET.

“We are preparing for the ‘Kisan Kalyan Programme’ till the block, tehsil, and panchayat level. LED screens are being put up so that maximum farmers can listen to the PM’s address. He is also expected to speak to farmers about the new farm reforms and listen to the experiences of some of them about the new laws and the benefits of the PM Kisan Nidhi scheme. Farmers from a couple of districts of Uttar Pradesh would be interacting with PM,” Uttar Pradesh Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi told ET.

In Madhya Pradesh, all BJP MPs and MLAs have been asked to be present in the programmes in their constituencies at 11 am on December 25. “MLAs and Ministers will decide where they will be present and give information of the same to the State Agriculture Minister. The MP and the MLA will first address the audience after which the Chief Minister will virtually address the farmers,” says a circular issued by the Madhya Pradesh government regarding the December 25 address by Prime Minister.


This will be followed by an address by Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and then by the Prime Minister. “PM Narendra Modi will also give detailed information about the new farm laws,” the circular says. All district collectors have been issued directions regarding the programme and the Chief Development Officers in blocks will also coordinate the programme. “The agriculture, rural development and revenue departments of state government will work in coordination,” the circular adds.

A senior official at the Centre said the PM had already spoken nearly 30 times on the new farm laws and their benefits and his December 25 address will focus on responses from progressive farmers, those who have formed Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOS) as well as small farmers about the positive effect the new farms laws have had in their lives over the last six months.