From Our Bureau
NEW DELHI: The Congress on Thursday condemned the Centre for sending notices to around 2 crore farmers in the country to return the money deposited in their bank accounts before the 2019 Lok Sabha elections under the “Kisan Samman Nidhi” (Farmer honour fund).
The notices claim these farmers were not eligible for the fund and therefore they should refund the money received in their bank accounts or the government will order the recovery from these accounts, Congress spokesman Akhilesh Pratap Singh told a press conference here.
He also demanded to declare the entire Uttar Pradesh as drought-affected state in view of 44% less rain than the average, drying up the Kharif crops. He also sought compensation to the farmers for their destroyed crops and postpone for six months the loans taken by them for farm equipment, fertilisers and seeds until the next crop.
Akhilesh also condemned the Uttar Pradesh government for rescinding the free foodgrain programme issued before the Assembly elections in the state to garner the votes. He said 67% of the poor in the state are, however, lucky to benefit from the Food Security Act of the Congress-led UPA government to get wheat at Rs 2 a kg and rice at Rs 3 a kg. It is only the Congress that makes concrete schemes for the poor, he said.