Centre seeks Delhi's cooperation in implementing PM-KISAN scheme

NEW DELHI: The Delhi government should cooperate in implementing the newly launched central scheme Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) under which Rs 6,000 is paid in three equal instalments annually to each farmer who owns land, minister of state for agriculture Parshottam Rupala said in the Rajya Sabha.
The Centre had launched the PM-KISAN scheme just before the Lok Sabha elections.Most states are implementing the scheme barring few states especially Delhi and West Bengal.
Replying to supplementaries in the Question Hour, the minister said, "Farmers in Delhi have not been able to benefit from the PM-KISAN scheme because the state government has not yet submitted the required data of registered farmers."
The Centre is ready to release funds once the data is submitted to the Union agriculture ministry, he said.
"There are some issues related to land.... The state government should cooperate in implementing the scheme," the minister said in the Upper House.
After coming to the power, the Modi government extended the scheme to all 14.5 crore farmers subject to exclusion criteria. Earlier, the scheme was restricted to small and marginal farmers holding up to 2 hectare land.
The responsibility of identifying and uploading details of beneficiaries solely lies with state governments, the minister said.