Chief Minister gives away Kisan Credit Card at Basirhat, also unveils railway projects April 19, 2012

Chief Minister gives away Kisan Credit Card at Basirhat, also unveils railway projects

April 19, 2012

“I am grateful to you for coming inspite of this scorching heat, I am aware of the amount of uncomfort you must be going through as standing in this hot summer under the sun is not recommendable, you may fall sick. I will try to be brief. I have come to thank you all for electing ATM Abdullah in the elections. I was asked by your representatives to come once in Basirhat. I told then, I will make it when the right time comes. Today, I am here to thank you all but I have not come empty handed”, were the opening remarks of the West Bengal Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee who was at Basirhat on Thursday (April 19, 2012). Chief Minister was in Basirhat to give away Kisan Credit Cards (KCC) and also unveiled a series of railways projects. Also present on this occasion was the Union Railways Minister Mr. Mukul Roy, West Bengal Finance Minister Dr. Amit Mitra and a council of ministers. 

Speaking on this occasion Chief Minister Ms. Mamata Banerjee said that she wants the farmers to live a safe and happy life as she is aware of the plight of the farmers, “I am really aggrieved to see that you are forced to pay a higher money for the chemical fertilizer that you use but then this was done by Centre in 2010, we were not in power. I only wish had the existing government protested then the story would have been totally different”. The KCC today would help all farmers to access bank credit at seven per cent per year which would go down to four per cent on prompt repayment of loans. Rs 50,000 per farmer would be given such loans. On this occasion the Chief Minister announced several pro-farmer measures including expansion Kisan Mandis and cold storages at block level, “I know it is not that easy for farmers to preserve their produced. We will build Kisan Mandi across 371-blocks and 341-cold storages by next year”, said Ms. Mamata Banerjee who also instructed the administration to initiate the Crop Insurance scheme, “This is for the poor farmers who find it hard to but crops and if their crops go waste then they are left with virtually nothing. I want you all to get the Crop Insurance done as you are not required to pay anything but the state government will pay the insurance, you will get the advantage as with this money you can buy crops again”. 

Ms. Mamata Banerjee also unveiled a series of railways projects on this occasion, “I am happy that gradually all the projects which I planned during my being the Union Railways Minister are being executed successfully. Today, we have laid the foundation stone of a passenger-reservation-system at Kachuadham. Also we are unveiling the double-line between Barasat and Sondalia which will be able to build a better train movement and bring passengers across Howrah and Sealdah close”, added Ms. Mamata Banerjee.