In a letter written to Narendra Modi, Bhupesh Baghel has urged him that instead of Rs 6,000 per annum, the farmers should be allocated Rs 12,000 per annum

In a letter written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel has urged him to include forest dwelling farmers carrying out cultivation on lease lands, under Pradhan Mantri Kissan Samman Niddhi (PMKSN) and instead of Rs 6,000 per annum, they should be allocated Rs 12,000 per annum keeping in view their weak socio-economic status.

 

 

Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel while highlighting the plight of forest dwelling farmers who’re carrying out cultivation on lease lands, in his letter to the Prime Minister, said in order to provide traditional rights of livelihood to forest dwellers and tribal community, the Forest Rights Act, 2006 was implemented. This Act provides 13 personal and community rights to the forest dwellers. With the implementation of this Act, a new hope was induced in the life of forest dwelling families.

 

 

The CM wrote that after distribution of forest rights’ certificates to these forest dwellers, they were being benefited under various welfare schemes so as to ensure that they come out poverty. There are 4 lakh odd families who have been distributed certificate under Forest Rights Act and the process of distribution is still continued. The Union Government in February 2019 had introduced Pradhan Mantri Kissan Samman Niddhi for benefiting marginal and small farmers. Under the scheme Rs 6,000 were provided annually as economic assistance.

 

 

However, under the scheme,forest dwellers carrying out agriculture work on lease lands were not included, although these people were very poor and keep first priority in getting such assistance. He urged the Prime Minister to include all the farmers cultivating on lands allocated under Forest Rights Act under Pradhan Mantri Kissan Samman Niddhi and the Samman Niddhi should be increased to Rs 12,000 per annum from existing Rs 6,000. Baghel urged Modi to issue the order at the earliest keeping in view the benefit of these forest dwellers, so that the benefit could be extended to them right from the day of implementation.