Arunachal Pradesh Chief Minister Pema Khandu in Itanagar on Saturday said that the first decisions taken in the first cabinet meeting of the NDA-II government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi were philanthropic. He further said that such decisions would benefit the hardworking and industrious farmers and traders.

The Arunachal Pradesh CM in a statement said that the cabinet decision to cover 14.5 crore farmers under the PM Kisan scheme, wherein they, irrespective of their land holdings, would get Rs 6,000 transferred to their bank accounts, would be a great relief to farmers.

The cabinet also approved a Rs 10,774.5 crore proposal for providing pension to crores of farmers.

"As a great relief to traders, three crore retailers, shopkeepers and self-employed people attaining the age of 60 years will be assured a minimum monthly pension of Rs 3,000. All shopkeepers, self-employed people and retailers with GST turnover below Rs 1.5 crore and aged 18-40 years can enrol for the scheme. Interested people can enrol themselves through 3.25 lakh plus common service centres. Five crore traders are expected to join the scheme in the next three years," Pema Khandu said.

Speaking on the Rs 13,343 crore scheme to control foot-&-mouth and brucellosis diseases in the livestock in the next five years, Pema Khandu said, "This scheme will greatly help farmers of my state, predominantly engaged in livestock rearing and had been struggling to save their cattle from foot-&-mouth disease."

Pema Khandu also thanked Prime Minister Narendra Modi for subsiding the previous ratio of centre and state share of 60:40 fund and Centre bearing the entire cost in the new decision.

Pema Khandu lauded the Union cabinet for enhancing the amount to be paid as part of the Prime Ministers Scholarship Scheme from Rs 2,000 per month to Rs 2,500 per month for boys and from Rs 2,250 per month to Rs 3,000 per month for girls.