In a rare moment of Centre-State coordination, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan gave a thumbs-up to West Bengal’s performance in key farming schemes. Following a virtual review meeting with ministers from eight states, Chouhan expressed his satisfaction with how the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY) and the Krishonnoti Yojana (KY) are being handled on the ground in Bengal. As a result, the Union Ministry has agreed to release ₹220 crore to keep the projects moving.
State Agriculture Minister Sobhandeb Chattopadhyay noted that while most indicators were positive, there was one specific area under the Krishonnoti Yojana where progress had lagged. After the state team explained the hurdles and promised to bridge the gap quickly, the Union Minister was reportedly convinced. Even with this upcoming ₹220 crore injection, a senior state official mentioned that there is still a remaining balance of ₹88 crore that the department expects to receive down the line.
The praise isn't entirely out of the blue. In previous discussions, Chouhan had even suggested that West Bengal has the potential to be a "model state" for the agricultural sector. The Krishonnoti Yojana, which has been the primary vehicle for this growth since 2016, acts as a massive umbrella for everything from organic farming and horticulture to food security, all aimed at modernisation and padding farmers' wallets.
On the financial side, the RKVY operates on a 60:40 funding split between the Centre and the state— a standard for most regions outside of the Himalayan belt. By hitting its targets, Bengal has managed to unlock these funds at a time when administrative efficiency is under the microscope.
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