A day after the UPA government set up a task force to suggest ways to provide cooking gas, kerosene and fertiliser subsidies to intended beneficiaries, Maharashtra Chief Minister Prithviraj Chavan on Tuesday advocated the same suggesting direct cash transfer to the beneficiaries. His suggestion came at Finance Minister Pranab Mukherjee’s pre-Budget consultation with Congress office-bearers at the party headquarters here.
“Whether in terms of fertiliser subsidy to farmers or kerosene or LPG to BPL families, the current regime should be dismantled and the government should take steps to facilitate direct cash transfer to the beneficiaries,” Chavan told The Indian Express after the meeting. Shamsher Singh Surjewala, chairman of the AICC’s Kisan and Khet Mazdoor cell, stated at the meeting later that subsidy was not reaching the farmers.
Hanumantha Rao said large tracts of agricultural land were being diverted for real estate and other uses and added that if they are not used for the specific purposes within two-three years, they should be converted back to agricultural land.
“Whether in terms of fertiliser subsidy to farmers or kerosene or LPG to BPL families, the current regime should be dismantled and the government should take steps to facilitate direct cash transfer to the beneficiaries,” Chavan told The Indian Express after the meeting. Shamsher Singh Surjewala, chairman of the AICC’s Kisan and Khet Mazdoor cell, stated at the meeting later that subsidy was not reaching the farmers.
Hanumantha Rao said large tracts of agricultural land were being diverted for real estate and other uses and added that if they are not used for the specific purposes within two-three years, they should be converted back to agricultural land.