Tamilisai meets CM, discusses seats, farmers’ scheme launch

BJP state president Tamilisai Soundararajan called on Chief Minister Palaniswami at his residence and discussed the launch of the farmers’ scheme in the state. “Union Minister Piyush Goyal and AIADMK leaders EPS and OPS will launch the Central scheme in Chennai. Necessary arrangements are under way. In Tamil Nadu, the AIADMK will lead the alliance and there is no set back in the alliance talks with the DMDK,” Tamilisai told reporters.

The meeting between Tamilisai and Palaniswami lasted for about half-an-hour and it was reported that the leaders also discussed the constituencies demanded by the BJP.

More such Central schemes and state schemes will be jointly inaugurated by the NDA alliance partners and more functions are to be held in this regard, BJP sources said.

After the AIIMS inaugural, the Kisan scheme is the next big project to be inaugurated by the NDA partners, sources said. The PM Kisan scheme, aimed at supplementing the financial needs of the small and marginal farmers, entails direct cash support of Rs 6,000 for farmers and is a hit among the farmers, sources added.

According to state agriculture department which has started the documentation works, the Kisan scheme will cost the Union government a budget of Rs 75,000 crore. Under the scheme, small and marginal farmers with less than two hectares of land will get cash in their accounts in three instalments of Rs 2,000 each. Tamil Nadu agriculture department has been told to work on the scheme and the first installment ending March 31, 2019, will be transferred to the eligible beneficiaries in the current fiscal, state official sources said.