The Chhattisgarh government today started the distribution of bonus to farmers against procuring paddy in the previous kharif marketing season.
Chief Minister Raman Singh kicked off the bonus distribution programme named as Bonus Tihar (festival) from two districts- Balodabazar and Bilapsur.
During these functions bonus worth Rs 281.41 crore was transferred online to over 1.83 lakh farmers.
"Chhattisgarh Government belongs to the poor and farmers. Farmers are Annadata (food provider)and the state is self-sufficient in foodgrains' production because of the persistent hard-work of cultivators," the chief minister said in Balodabazar.
There, the CM by clicking online button transferred an amount of Rs 166.68 crore to the bank accounts of nearly 1.09 lakh farmers.
The government has decided to disburse bonus of Rs 2100 crore to farmers for the paddy purchased by the Primary Agriculture Co-Operative Societies' in 2016-17 kharif season at minimum support price. The distribution process will be completed before Diwali, he added.
The CM while stating that the state government is fulfilling the promise made to farmers, extended his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi for sanctioning bonus amount.
"This if for the first time after the creation of Chhattisgarh (in 2000) that a special session of Assembly had been called to pass the bonus for farmers. The state government is sensitive towards the welfare of farmers.
"96 tehsils had been declared drought-affected in the ongoing crop season and relief measures are being undertaken there," he added.
Subsequently during another function in Bilaspur, the CM released bonus of Rs 114.73 crore to about 74,500 farmers.
Ahead of the next year assembly election in Chhattisgarh, the Raman Singh government recently announced to disburse bonus to farmers for paddy procurement.
The announcement comes at a time when there were protests at several places in the state by farmers as well the opposition Congress demanding minimum support price of Rs 2,100 and bonus of Rs 300 for procuring per quintal of paddy as promised by the ruling BJP in its poll manifesto during 2013 assembly election.
As per the CMs announcement, the bonus to the tune of Rs 2100 crore for procuring paddy in the last season (2016-17) will be disbursed ahead of Diwali this year which will benefit 13 lakh farmers.
Similarly, the bonus for the procurement to be done in this season (2017-18) will be given next year during Vikas Yatra.
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