Which state government launched the Krishak Bandhu scheme to address farmers distress by providing financial assistance and support?

Introduction / Context:
This question belongs to the category of state government welfare schemes related to agriculture and farmers. Competitive exams often test schemes that involve direct benefits, income support, or insurance for cultivators. The Krishak Bandhu scheme is one such initiative aimed at reducing farmers distress. Knowing which state launched it helps in understanding regional policy measures in the agricultural sector and strengthens overall general awareness.

Given Data / Assumptions:
- The scheme name mentioned is Krishak Bandhu.
- The purpose is to address the distress faced by farmers and provide financial assistance and related benefits.
- The options list four Indian states: Telangana, Kerala, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh.
- The task is to identify the state government that actually launched the Krishak Bandhu scheme.

Concept / Approach:
The concept is basic knowledge of major state level schemes. Many states announce farmer oriented schemes with names that include words like Rythu, Krishi, Bandhu, and so on. The correct approach is to associate Krishak Bandhu with the correct state and ruling government that publicised it as a flagship farmer support programme, focusing on financial assistance per farmer or per landholding and on death benefit support for farmer families.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall the Krishak Bandhu scheme from current affairs. It was widely discussed as a state level farmer income support programme. Step 2: Note that this scheme provides fixed financial assistance per farmer family or per acre and often includes an insurance or death benefit element for the family of the farmer. Step 3: Remember that it was launched by the Government of West Bengal under the leadership of the Chief Minister of that state. Step 4: Compare this information against the answer options: among Telangana, Kerala, West Bengal, and Madhya Pradesh, the state linked with Krishak Bandhu is West Bengal. Step 5: Conclude that West Bengal is the correct answer.

Verification / Alternative check:
The name Krishak Bandhu itself uses the word Bandhu, which has been repeatedly used in public speeches and publicity material by the West Bengal government. News articles on farmer schemes of West Bengal highlight Krishak Bandhu as a flagship programme providing both financial assistance and a death benefit of a fixed amount to farmers families. Telangana has Rythu Bandhu, which sounds similar but is a different scheme. This contrast between Krishak Bandhu and Rythu Bandhu is a useful way to verify that Krishak Bandhu belongs to West Bengal, not Telangana.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Telangana: Telangana launched a farmer support scheme called Rythu Bandhu, not Krishak Bandhu. The similar sounding name often confuses candidates, but it is a different scheme from a different state, so this option is incorrect.
Kerala: Kerala has its own welfare programmes, but Krishak Bandhu is not among the major schemes launched by that state, making this option wrong.
Madhya Pradesh: Madhya Pradesh has schemes like Bhavantar and others, but Krishak Bandhu is not associated with its government, so this option is also incorrect.

Common Pitfalls:
The main pitfall is confusing Krishak Bandhu of West Bengal with Rythu Bandhu of Telangana because both names include the word Bandhu and both target farmers. Another mistake is guessing based purely on memory of which state has recently faced farmer distress, rather than recalling specific scheme names. To avoid this, it is helpful to prepare a small table mapping scheme names to states for quick revision.

Final Answer:
The Krishak Bandhu scheme was launched by the Government of West Bengal.