Over 4 lakh tenant farmers waiting for PM-KISAN benefits for 3 years

Around four lakh tenant farmers, who have been waiting for the benefits through the Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Scheme for the past three years in the state, have appealed to the Centre to include their names also on the beneficiaries list. They have also threatened to go on protest if their demand was not accepted.

“Tenant farmers are paid compensation by the state and Centre for drought, flood and other natural calamities. Ironically, they are refused the benefits under the PM-KISAN Scheme though they are eligible for the crop insurance,” Swamimalai Sundara Vimalnathan, secretary, Cauvery Farmers Protection Association said.

As the fund has been credited directly to farmers after they get a message in their mobile number, the scheme has a good reception among the targeted beneficiaries. However, the tenant farmers have been left out of the beneficiary list and this had affected more than four lakh farmers,  who undertake cultivation in less than five acres, in the state .

Vimalnathan said that the cultivation for tenant farmers was more expensive as they have to spend an additional fund between Rs 8,000 and Rs 12,000 for lease per year apart from the regular expenses for cultivation. “These tenant farmers register their land as per the norms prior to the cultivation and eligible for availing agriculture loan and the farmers credit card. They are even allowed to avail the compensation and the subsidy on par with other farmers. But they are denied this benefit,” he said.

Since most of the cultivators from the tribal areas are tenant farmers, around 2 crore such farmers have been denied this benefit and in Tamil Nadu at least four lakh were affected, he said.

“These farmers expected an announcement in this regard in the Union budget. But they were dejected as there was no such announcement for the third year,” Vimalnathan said and added that they have sent a representation to the Center. “We have also sent a representation to the human rights commission. If there was no positive response, we have no other option but to organise a series of protests across the state”, Vimalnathan warned.