Chhattisgarh Chief MinisterBhupesh Baghel on Thursday said as many as 18.75 lakh farmers will benefit from the 'Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojna' (RGKNY), which will be launched in the state on May 21.Speaking to reporters here, Baghel said he had urged the Centre to include agriculture-related works under MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee scheme).The state government was ensuring flow of money to labourers through MGNREGA, to tribal population through minor forest produce procurement and now to farmers through RGKNY, during the present crisis, he said.The scheme, which will be rolled out on May 21, the death anniversary of former Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi, will be a boon for farmers, the Chief Minister said, claiming that no other state had taken such a crucial step for farmers.Under the scheme, based on registered area and area under cultivation during Kharif crop season 2019, Rs 10,000 per acre will be deposited in bank accounts of farmers as agriculture assistance grant through Direct Benefit Transfer for procuring crops like paddy, maize and sugarcane (Rabi), he said.At least 18.75 lakh farmers will benefit from the scheme, for which the state government had allocated Rs 5,100 crore in the budget 2020-21, Baghel said.The Chief Minister further said he had urged the Centre to include agriculture-related works under the MGNREGA, so that villagers get jobs, input cost is reduced and agricultural production is increased, he added.
