BJP to teach farmers ‘spiritual, religious’ side of agriculture
NEW DELHI: The B JP will launch an outreach programme for farmers, sending out nearly 50,000 workers to proclaim “spiritual and religious” benefits of agriculture and to spread the word on the “achievements” of the government, sources in the party said.
The programme is part of the government’s attempts to win over farmers after rising unrest recently. BJP fears that implementation of pro-farmer schemes, which is crucial to achieve PM Na rend ra Modi’s target to double farmers’ income by 2022, can’t be left to officials alone. The party will train its workers on how to connect farmers with government schemes and include them in list of beneficiaries.
“The training programme has five modules,” a BJP leader who is part of the exercise told HT. This includes the spiritual and religious side of agriculture, its history, current situation of the farm sector, achievements of the governments at the Centre and state and suggestions for welfare.
The programme is expected to begin after Diwali and will be divided according to assembly constituencies. “We don’t have to depend on officials,” agriculture minister Radha Mohan Singh told BJP’s farm wing leaders at a meeting on Thursday. “Party leaders should be trained enough to ensure maximum enrolment in welfare schemes.” According to a leader at the meeting, the volunteers will guide farmers in making the best use of Centre’s policies. Agriculture and allied sectors account for more than 50% of India’s workforce.
A promise to waive off farm loans is considered among key factors behind B JP’ sh is to ric twothirds majority in UP this year, but the Yogi Adityanath government has drawn flak for distributing paltry amounts, as low as less than a rupee, to beneficiaries.