PMO Returns Money-order of Farmer Who Got Pittance for Onions

Sanjay Sathe, who had earned Rs 1,064 after selling 750 kg onions, had sent the amt to PM relief fund in protest.

Sanjay Sathe, who had earned only Rs 1,064 after selling 750 kg onions, had sent the entire amount to the relief fund in protest. Image used for representation. 

(Photo: Reuters)

A money-order sent by a farmer in Maharashtra's Nashik district, who had got a princely sum of Rs 1,064 after selling 750 kg of onions, has been returned by the Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

Sanjay Sathe, a farmer from Niphad tehsil of Nashik district, had sent Rs 1,064, his earnings from onion sale in the wholesale market, to Prime Minister Narendra Modi on November 29 as a protest. A few days ago, the local post office informed him that the money-order was not accepted.

“I went to the office of India Post in Niphad Monday and received the amount of Rs 1,064. My only intention was to prompt the government to take some steps to ease the financial stress farmers are suffering from because of the crashed prices.

Sathe told PTI Wednesday.

Sathe, who had taken his onion crop to Niphad wholesale market, had received a paltry rate of Rs 1.40 per kg.

His act of donating the money to the disaster relief fund of the PMO by making a money-order had made headlines.

"I wanted to draw the government's attention to our problems. I am not associated with any political party," he said.

"I hope the Union and state governments will take some steps so that onion growers earn more," he said.

(Correction: An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated that the PMO had asked Sathe to carry out an online transfer for payment, based on media reports. The error is regretted.)