Kolkata: The Mamata Banerjee government has spent nearly Rs 500 crore in providing financial assistance to 37 lakh farmers under the Krishak Bandhu scheme, a programme which was announced by Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee on December 31 last year. "We have spent Rs 478 crore for the benefit of the farmers and another Rs 23 crore has been disbursed following deaths of the farmers to their respective family members. We have already spent Rs 500 crore and would spend more as and when we receive further applications," said state Agriculture minister Asish Banerjee. According to statistics of the department, a total of 35,74,445 farmers have received aid of Rs 478.37 crore under the schemes assured income initiative till September 9. The state government has received 40,22,354 applications under this scheme till now. Under the assured income initiative of the scheme, the state provides an annual support of Rs 5,000 to farmers possessing one acre of land. The aid is given in two installments, of which the first is in Kharif season and the second in Rabi season. Apart from the assured income, the project provides aid for death benefit as well. Under death benefit, the state government has disbursed Rs 23.46 crore to the family members of 1,173 farmers. A total of 2,245 applications were received under this section. Under the death benefit initiative, the state provides a one-time grant of Rs 2 lakh to the family of a farmer, aged 18 to 60 years, following his/her death. It may be mentioned that in the agricultural sector, the state government has made a budgetary allocation of Rs 6,086 crore for 2019-20 in its annual budget against Rs 2,766 crore in 2018-19, which is a 120 percent increase. The scheme was rolled out on February 15 and Rs 1,000 crore was allocated for the same.

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