Anwesha Dash, Pune
While rallying in Rewari district of Haryana, Union Home Minister (HM) Amit Shah promised to the crowd that the limit for health and farmer benefit schemes such as the Ayushman Bharat Yojana and Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana (KSNY), respectively, will be hiked given that the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) wins the polls.
The Ayushman Bharat Pradhan Mantri Jan Arogya Yojana aims to provide free and accessible healthcare to the citizens under this public health insurance scheme. The limit for free treatment, as of yet, is Rs. 5 lakh. If BJP wins in Haryana’s Legislative Assembly elections, Amit Shah vows that the limit will be hiked to Rs. 10 lakh.
Similarly the KSNY, which provides a benefit of Rs. 6000 per annum, will be increased to Rs. 10,000 for state farmers. This scheme was introduced to provide aid to farmers of the country by providing them with a minimum income support.
While campaigning in Haryana, the HM also slammed Rahul Gandhi and the opposition over their statements on the Minimum Support Price (MSP). Gandhi recently met up with farmer leaders and vowed to push for legally guaranteed MSP for farmers. Therefore, HM Shah countered by saying that the incumbent BJP Haryana government is procuring more than 20 crops at an MSP and further asked if any of the Congress ruled states got as many crops at an MSP.
Amit Shah went on to rhetorically ask the leader of opposition if he knew the full form of MSP and whether he knew the distinction between Rabi and Kharif crops. The HM also claimed that the opposition has been talking about MSPs in their campaigns to garner vote banks.
As per the union minister, paddy was procured at a rate of Rs. 1300 per quintal when Congress ruled in the state of Haryana. Meanwhile, under the incumbent BJP government it increased to Rs. 2300 per quintal claimed HM Shah and promised that it will reach to Rs.3100 quintal if they are voted to power again. With the assembly elections approaching in the state both BJP and the opposition have taken to campaigning around issues related to farmers and agriculture.