Arunachal Pradesh chief minister Pema Khandu has welcomed the historic decisions taken in the first meeting of the new Union Cabinet headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Friday.
In a statement on Saturday, Khandu hailed the philanthropic decisions of the Union Cabinet which will greatly benefit the hardworking farmers and industrious traders of the country.
In what could be termed as a great relief to the farmers, the Union Cabinet approved to cover 14.5 crore farmers across the country under PM Kisan scheme wherein farmers, irrespective of their land holdings will get Rs 6,000 in their bank accounts.
The Union Cabinet also approved a proposal to spend Rs 10,774.5 crore for a period of three years for providing pension cover to crores of farmers.
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As a great succour and relief to the traders, three crore retail traders, shopkeepers and self-employed persons in the country attaining the age of 60 years will be assured minimum monthly pension of ?3,000.
All shopkeepers and self employed persons as well as retail traders with GST turnover below ?1.5 crore and aged between 18-40 years can enrol for the scheme.
Interested persons can enrol themselves through over 3.25 lakh common service centres spread across the country. Five crore traders are expected to join the scheme in the next three years.
In an another historic decision, the Modi headed Union Cabinet approved an ambitious scheme with a total outlay of Rs 13,343 crores to fully control Foot and Mouth Disease (FMD) and Brucellosis diseases amongst the livestock in the country in the next five years.
“This scheme will greatly help the farmers of my State who are predominantly engaged in livestock rearing and had been struggling to eradicate the FMD disease,” a delighted CM said.
He extended gratitude to Prime Minister for subsiding the previous ratio of centre and state share of 60:40 fund and Centre bearing the entire cost in the new decision.
“This is a welcome gesture for the farmers and the state government like ours which has limited resources,” Khandu said.
The scheme envisages vaccination coverage to 30 crore bovines (cows-bulls and buffaloes) and 20 crore sheep/goat and 10 million pigs.
Khandu further lauded the Union Cabinet for enhancing the amount to be paid as part of ‘Prime Ministers Scholarship Scheme’ under the National Defence Fund.
The rates of scholarship have been increased from Rs 2,000 per month to Rs 2,500 per month for boys and from Rs 2,250 per month to Rs 3,000 per month for girls.
The ambit of the scholarship Scheme has also been extended to the wards of state police personnel who were martyred during terror/naxal attacks. The quota of new scholarships for wards of state police personnel will be 500 in a year.
Expressing gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and his council of ministers for taking historic decisions for the welfare of traders, farmers and students, Chief Minister Pema Khandu said the country is heading its way towards greater and newer heights.
The Modi government, which symbolises Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas and Sabka Vishwas, is standing tall and living up to the people’s aspirations. Narendra Modi will deliver what he has promised, said a convinced Khandu.
“We know, it is just a beginning! India in another five years under the dynamic and charismatic leadership of Narendra Modi will see a new dawn of progress, prosperity and development,” Khandu said.