Dankuni (West Bengal), Dec 2 (IANS) Farmers in West Bengal will henceforth be paid through cheque for the grain procured from them by the government, Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee said Friday.
She also announced that private sellers of fertilisers too will have to sell their products at government-specified prices.
‘There have been several reports that farmers, after selling their produce to the government, are not getting the money. So we have decided to pay them through cheques not only to ensure payment to the farmers but also to rule out the role of middlemen who often fleece the poor peasants,’ Banerjee said in this Hooghly district area.
She was here in continuance of her practice of holding meeting with district officials in the state.
‘After the decontrol, fertiliser prices have been rising. This is mostly because of black marketing while a few private players have also been selling at higher prices. We have announced that the private sellers have to sell at the government recommended price or else face legal action,’ said Banerjee.
She also announced that the mid-day meal scheme has been extended to girls of class 9 and 10. The scheme previously was available only to school children till class 8.
She also said the government officials have been ordered to expedite the process of crop insurance and providing Kisan Credit Cards to farmers. Camps will be organised not only to spread awareness about the initiative but also to facilitate farmers to complete the formalities for the same.
With the district rich in potato cultivation, the government will not only set up cold storages but will also explore ways to sell the crop to other states, she said.
Stating that there was a big backlog of jobs provided under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme, Banerjee said her government will undertake a ‘special drive’ between Dec 15 and Jan 15 to provide work to the people under the scheme.
