West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee will implement the Centre’s flagship Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana scheme in the State, subject to a rider — the funds need to be routed through the State government, instead of direct benefit transfer (DBT).

The proposal has led to a war of words, with the BJP questioning the intent and accusing her government of trying to benefit “own interest groups”.

Under the PM-Kisan scheme, the Centre transfers ₹6,000 annually to each farmer in three equal instalments.

In West Bengal, DBT is an acronym for ‘Didi Benefit Transfer’, mocked Kailash Vijayvargiya, National General Secretary of BJP. “Why would you need money to be routed through the State government? Does someone need cut money from it,” he tweeted.

Amit Malviya, BJP IT cell in-charge, put out a sarcastic tweet, where he said the Chief Minister was “under pressure” ,and disbursements will neither go to TMC (Trinamool Congress) workers nor will any one get “cut money”.

On the back foot

That Banerjee is on the back foot because of brewing discontent in rural areas is something political analysts agree. Ahead of the 2021 Legislative Assembly elections, questions about Banerjee’s opposition to the Kisan Nidhi scheme haunts grassroots Trinamool workers.

According to political analyst Biswanath Chakraborty, for nearly two years now, the BJP has consistently got its communication right and has been able to publicise the benefits that would have been accruing to farmers if the PM-Kisan scheme had been implemented.

“Repeatedly hammering a point that farmers are being deprived, for at least two years now, has worked. There is a question mark over Banerjee’s core voter base in rural areas. You may see further softening of her stand on the issue (of DBT to farmers) or even agree to DBTs soon. She is trying to take the wind out of BJP’s poll agenda ahead of 2021 elections here,” he told BusinessLine .

Governor’s letter

In fact, West Bengal Governor Jagdeep Dhankhar had in a letter, dated September 21 (to the CM), mentioned that “if timely and due steps had been taken”, 70,00,000 farmers in the State would have received benefits to the tune of ₹8,400 crore.

Subsequently, the BJP also dubbed Trinamool’s opposition to “agri-reforms” as “double speak”, especially when the party was blocking farmers’ benefits in the State.

The Governor’s letter and rising pressure on Trinamool — which has been taking to the streets, protesting passage of bills such as Farmers’ Produce Trade and Commerce (Promotion and Facilitation Bill), and Farmers (Empowerment and Protection) Agreement on Price Assurance and Farm Services Bill — led to two separate letters from the State government being made public.

In one, addressed to Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar (dated September 9), Banerjee has agreed to implement the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi and Ayushman Bharat schemes in West Bengal if funds “are transferred directly to the State government.”

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