Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath on Monday accused the Samajwadi Party of failing farmers and using caste divisions for political gains.
He alleged that the party did not ensure that public money reached its intended beneficiaries.
Adityanath was speaking at a programme in Gorakhpur, where Rs 493 crore was transferred through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) to more than nine lakh farmers affected by crop losses amid extreme weather events.
Yogi Adityanath Alleges Irregularities in Farmers’ Aid
Adityanath cited the 2014 crop damage caused by Cyclone Hudhud, claiming that although the Centre released Rs 3,200 crore, farmers received only Rs 800 crore. He accused the Samajwadi Party of misappropriating the remaining amount.
“The SP people misappropriated the rest. It is the curse of those farmers that has brought about their (Samajwadi Party) downfall today,” Adityanath claimed.
Accusing the SP of dividing society, Adityanath said, “Those who embezzled the farmers’ money are the very ones who are trying to divide society along caste lines. They will divide society, but will not distribute the public’s money to the people. They will not give the farmers their due.”
He added that when he became chief minister in 2017, he investigated what had actually happened regarding Cyclone Hudhud.
“I discovered that the funds had not been distributed. I then arranged for the necessary funds separately, and it was only after two years that we were able to transfer the money into the farmers’ accounts,” Adityanath said.
CM Targets Congress Over Delayed Fund Transfers
The chief minister said that early warning systems and rain gauges are now available to measure rainfall accurately. According to him, these facilities would help provide relief to citizens and farmers.
He also criticised the Congress government for delays in transferring public funds, referring to former prime minister Rajiv Gandhi’s statement about money released by the government.
“That is precisely what the late Rajiv Gandhi had said, We send Rs 100, but only Rs 15 reaches the intended recipient. Where did the rest go?” Adityanath said.
“The Congress and the SP people would gobble it all up. The farmers suffered crop losses, yet these people would swallow the funds, pocketing the money right in the middle,” he alleged.
Adityanath said that funds released by the prime minister or the chief minister now go directly into farmers’ bank accounts.
Yogi Government’s Loan Waiver and Irrigation Measures
Taking a dig at the SP government that ruled Uttar Pradesh before 2017, Adityanath said, “Back then, electricity did not come, but the bills did. Now the situation has changed.”
He directed officials to begin immediate relief and rescue operations in areas affected by floods, soil erosion and excessive rainfall. He also claimed that before 2017, farmers received compensation of just Rs 2, Rs 4 or Rs 15.
Adityanath said his government focuses on farmers, youth, women and the poor. He added that after the BJP came to power in Uttar Pradesh, it waived loans worth Rs 36,000 crore for 86 lakh small and marginal farmers.
The state also made electricity free for 16 lakh private tube wells, while irrigation through government tube wells was already free. According to the chief minister, the government has expanded its canal network and provided irrigation facilities to an additional 22 lakh hectares of land.
He said new tube wells were also being installed and other irrigation facilities were being expanded.
Paddy Procurement To Begin In Waterlogged Districts From 15 October
The chief minister said paddy procurement centres were opening in areas that had not received rainfall. In districts affected by excessive rainfall and waterlogging, procurement centres for paddy and coarse grains, including jowar, bajra and maize, will begin operations from 15 October.
“Farmers will be offered good prices and they can bring their produce to mandis and procurement centres. The government has not set any limit on procurement. Whatever quantity of paddy a farmer brings, the procurement centres will purchase it,” he said.
Adityanath added that farmers could sell their produce wherever they received a good price. If private buyers did not purchase their crops, the government would buy them, and payments would be transferred directly to farmers’ bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).