Two days ahead of Assembly elections in Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh, states with considerable tribal populations, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday launched the Rs 24,000-crore Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTG) Mission in Jharkhand for the development of around 28 lakh PVTGs in the country.
Addressing a rally in Khunti in Jharkhand, PM Modi also released Rs 18,000 crore as the 15th installment of PM-Kisan scheme to eight crore beneficiaries, prompting a reaction from the Congress which questioned the move. The PM transferred the amount digitally by clicking a button.
Modi launched the mission from Birsa College ground on the occasion of tribal icon Birsa Munda’s birth anniversary and the third ‘Janjatiya Gaurav Diwas’.
Under the PVTG Mission, basic facilities such as road and telecom connectivity, electricity, safe housing, clean drinking water and sanitation, improved access to education, health and nutrition and sustainable livelihood opportunities will be provided to PVTG habitations, which are mostly remote, scattered and inaccessible, an official statement said.
The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) is one of the world’s largest Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) schemes, which aims to support farmers in meeting their agricultural and other incidental needs. Under the scheme, a financial assistance of Rs 6,000 per year is transferred into the bank accounts of beneficiary farmers through DBT in three equal installments.
Meanwhile, the Congress questioned the release of money under the PM-KISAN scheme, wondering if that was “intentional”, as in two days, the two states will go to polls.
Madhya Pradesh will vote on November 17 and the second phase of Assembly elections in Chhattisgarh will also be on the same day. The first phase of Chhattisgarh election was on November 7. The counting of votes of five states – Rajasthan, MP, Chhattisgarh, Telangana and Mizoram – will be on December 3.
Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh said in a post on X, in Hindi, “The sixth instalment of the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi was released on August 1, 2020, while the ninth instalment on August 9, 2021. The 12th instalment was released on October 17 last year.”
“The 15th instalment under PM-Kisan is coming today i.e. on November 15, 2023. Now, when elections are to be held in Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh in two days, in Rajasthan in 10 days and in Telangana in 15 days, the 15th instalment is being released today,” he added.
“Is this delay not intentional?” Ramesh asked.