PM Modi advocates digital payments for transparency

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday said digital payments have brought transparency and urged people to avoid cash payments if possible.

Addressing the 17th Indian Co-operative Congress, the Prime Minister said: "Embrace digital transactions for transparency. Minimise cash payments. India is now known for digital payments."

He said that the Central government spends over Rs 6 lakh crore annually on agriculture and farmers.

"This means that on average, every farmer receives around Rs 50,000 in various forms from the government every year. In other words, under the BJP government, there is a guarantee that farmers will receive Rs 50,000 through different means annually," he said.

The Prime Minister further mentioned that his government has directly transferred around Rs 2.5 lakh crore into farmers' accounts across the nation.

He also highlighted that his government provides urea fertilizer bags for Rs 270, whereas they are being sold at Rs 720 in Bangladesh, Rs 800 in Pakistan, Rs 2,100 in China, and Rs 3,100 in some other places.

He added that his government has increased fertilizer subsidies to over Rs 10 lakh crore and emphasised that the Centre is free from nepotism and corruption, which is why farmers are benefiting.

"In the last nine years, farmers have received over Rs 15 lakh crore through the procurement of their produce at MSP (Minimum Support Price). In other words, the government spends around Rs 6.5 lakh crore per year on agriculture and farmers," he said.

Modi announced a package of Rs 3 lakh 70 thousand crore for farmers and said that a profitable price of Rs 315 per quintal has been set for sugarcane farmers.

"We currently have a storage capacity of over 1,400 lakh tonnes in the country. Our goal for the next five years is to create approximately 700 lakh tonnes of new storage capacity. This is undoubtedly a significant task that will enhance the capabilities of our farmers and generate new employment opportunities in rural areas."

He also informed that the Central government launched the Mission Palm Oil initiative to promote oil palm cultivation.

Speaking on the occasion, Union Home Minister Amit Shah stated that Modi has brought many changes in the cooperative movement.

"The cooperative movement in our country is approximately 115 years old. The demand for a separate Cooperative Ministry was pending for 75 years. When Modi became Prime Minister for the second time, an autonomous Cooperative Ministry was established. With the formation of an independent Ministry, numerous changes have become possible in the Ministry of Cooperation and the cooperative sector," said Shah.

He also mentioned that the Prime Minister and Finance Minister resolved a tax dispute of Rs 15,000 crore related to Sugar Mills and made arrangements to prevent such disputes from recurring in the future.