Rs 6,000 to farmers a mark of respect; criticism cannot stall development: Piyush Goyal

Calling the current BJP-led NDA regime as an honest government and the one which delivered on its promises, Finance Goyal Piyush on Friday set aside the Opposition's criticism of the Centre's announcement of Rs. 6,000 per year to farmers in the interim Budget 2019-20.

Finance Minister Piyush Goyal.

NEW DELHI: Calling the current BJP-led NDA regime as an honest government and the one which delivered on its promises, Finance Goyal Piyush on Friday set aside the Opposition's criticism of the Centre's announcement of Rs. 6,000 per year to farmers in the interim Budget 2019-20. Talking to ABP News, Goyal said the Modi government has announced the financial assistance of Rs 6,000 per year as a mark of respect to those who feed the nation and it's the Congress who had insulted the farmers for over 60 years. "The Congress has failed to understand that we have announced the income scheme for farmers as a mark of respect towards them after considering the financial state of the country. They (the Congress) were in power for a decade (2004-2014) but couldn't come up with such a scheme," Goyal said, alleging that the UPA rule was full of corruption and dishonesty which served the interest of "big people". Earlier in the day, Congress president Rahul Gandhi has alleged the government destroyed the lives of farmers over the past five years, and said its Interim Budget announcement of "Rs 17 a day" for them was an insult to everything they stand and work for. "Their criticism of our welfare schemes won't stall development, Goyal said. Ours is an honest and a responsible government which prioritizes that the development schemes reach the common man, he said. Goyal, who is the interim finance minister as Arun Jaitley is in the US for treatment, said the Modi government has worked for every section of the society in the past five years and under its tenure, the country has witnessed “transformational progress”. Watch the full interview of Finance Minister Piyush Goyal below