Chennai: Prime Minister Narendra Modi will today address nine crore farmers through video conferencing to mark the birth anniversary of former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee, in which he is likely to reveal the Centre’s stand on the controversial farm laws.
According to sources, the Prime Minister’s address would be directly telecast live throughout the country in giant screens.
He would also be releasing the next instalment of financial benefit under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) at 12 noon.
With this, he will enable the transfer of more than Rs 18,000 crore to more than nine crore beneficiary farmer families.
BJP general secretary Arun Singh said, the party has made arrangements for farmers’ participation in more than 19,000 venues across the country, and its own members will also be present.
It is expected that one crore farmers will directly participate, while over five crore of them will hear Modi’s speech.
“The party will observe the exercise like a festival. Despite protests in some places, the country’s farmers have been standing with Modi,” Singh said.
Home Minister Amit Shah will attend the programme in Delhi’s Mehrauli while Defence Minister Rajnath Singh will be in Dwarka.
Under the PM-KISAN Scheme, a financial benefit of Rs 6000 per year is provided to the eligible beneficiary farmers, payable in three equal four-monthly installments of Rs 2000 each. The fund is transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.