Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the 24th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) at Banaskantha, Gujarat, on 30 October. The instalment will transfer more than ₹18,690 crore directly to the bank accounts of over 9.34 crore farmers across the country.
The Prime Minister will also dedicate to the nation 521 units established under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) to strengthen agricultural storage, processing, and related infrastructure, and inaugurate 12 horticulture clusters to promote high-value horticultural crops and enhance farmers’ income potential, according to a press release by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare.
Over ₹4.47 Lakh Crore Disbursed Through PM-KISAN
Through the first 23 instalments of PM-KISAN, more than ₹4.47 lakh crore has already been disbursed to eligible farmers.
The scheme provides income support to eligible farmer families through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), helping them meet agricultural and household expenses and supporting their livelihood security.
Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare Shivraj Singh Chouhan will participate in the programme marking the release of the 24th instalment at Raisen, Madhya Pradesh.
The event is expected to witness the participation of a large number of farmers from the region. It will provide a platform to highlight the significance of PM-KISAN and other key initiatives of the Department, while reaffirming the Government’s commitment to farmers’ welfare, prosperity, and empowerment.
Government Initiatives to Strengthen Agriculture
Agriculture is the backbone of India’s economy, supporting the livelihoods of crores of farmers and ensuring food and nutritional security.
Under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government has undertaken several initiatives over the past 12 years to improve farmers’ incomes, promote modern agricultural practices, and advance self-reliance in the agriculture sector.
Key initiatives include the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Kisan Credit Card, Minimum Support Price (MSP) and Per Drop More Crop.
These measures aim to provide financial assistance, strengthen risk protection, improve access to agricultural credit and promote technology-driven agricultural governance for the holistic empowerment of farmers.
The Government is also advancing self-reliance in agriculture through initiatives such as the National Mission on Edible Oils and the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses. The National Mission on Natural Farming is encouraging farmers to adopt sustainable agricultural practices through the development of clusters across the country.
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund to Strengthen Post-Harvest Management
The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund promotes investments in warehouses, cold storage facilities, primary processing centres and other essential agricultural infrastructure to improve farmers’ returns.
Under the AIF, investments of approximately ₹1.75 lakh crore have been made across more than 2.28 lakh projects, supporting the development of critical agricultural infrastructure across the country.
These investments are expected to strengthen storage and processing capabilities, reduce post-harvest losses, improve market access and enable farmers to obtain better returns for their produce.
Horticulture Clusters to Promote High-Value Crops
The Government is promoting diversification towards high-value agricultural activities, particularly horticulture, to enhance income opportunities and make farming more remunerative.
The development of horticulture clusters is an important step towards strengthening the horticulture value chain and encouraging the production and marketing of high-value crops.
These initiatives aim to strengthen financial support for farmers, modernise agricultural infrastructure, promote crop diversification and build a prosperous, resilient and self-reliant agricultural sector in line with the vision of Viksit Bharat.
-PIB Inputs
