Relief for farmers and traders under Modi 2.0

In the first meeting of cabinet ministers after swearing in ceremony yesterday, the Modi 2.0 government approved a proposal to extend the benefit of Rs 6,000 per year under the PM-KISAN scheme to all farmers in the country.

The decision was taken in the first Cabinet meeting of the new NDA government, which came back to power, winning over 350 seats. In its manifesto for 2019 general elections, the BJP had promised to extend the scheme to all farmers.



Some of the major decisions in the cabinet meeting:

PM KISAN Scheme for all farmers:
Reiterating its commitment towards the farming community cabinet approved the additional expense of 12,000 crore for PM KISAN extending it to all farmers. A total of 87,000 crore will now be used for PM KISAN Scheme.



The Rs 75,000-crore Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Siddhi (PMKSS) was announced in the interim Budget under which the government decided to provide Rs 6,000 per year (in three equal instalments) to an estimated 12.5 crore small and marginal farmers holding land up to 2 hectares.

Earlier 12,500 crore farmers were covered under the scheme but now additional 2 crores will also be a part of the scheme.

PM KISAN Pension Yojana:
In another major decision, Tomar said the Cabinet also approved the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Pension Yojana under which small and marginal farmers will get a minimum fixed pension of Rs 3,000 per month on attaining the age of 60 years.

"In the initial phase, the government will cover minimum 5 crore small and marginal farmers in the first three years," he said, adding that this would cost Rs 10,774.5 crore per annum to the exchequer.

This scheme is a voluntary and contributory pension scheme for small and marginal farmers across the country, with the entry age of 18-40 years, he said.

Pension scheme for shopkeepers, traders:
Cabinet in its meeting also approved a new scheme that assures minimum monthly pension of Rs 3,000 to all shopkeepers, retail traders and self-employed persons after attaining the age of 60 years.



The decision taken at the Union Cabinet meeting chaired by Prime Minister Narendra Modi will benefit 3 crore, retail traders and shopkeepers.

Programme to control diseases among livestock:
The Cabinet has also approved Rs 13,343 crore programme for control Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis. These diseases are common among livestock- cow-bulls, buffaloes, goats, sheep and pigs.