Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the 22nd installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme on March 13, transferring Rs 18,640 crore directly into the bank accounts of 9.32 crore farmers across the country. The transfer will take place during a programme in Guwahati, Assam.
Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the development while addressing journalists at his residence in New Delhi. He said the direct benefit transfer under PM-Kisan continues to strengthen farmers’ financial security and support agricultural investment.
According to Chouhan, more than Rs 4.09 lakh crore has been disbursed to farmers under the scheme so far through DBT, including benefits to over 2.15 crore women farmers. He said the initiative has helped reduce farmers’ dependence on moneylenders while boosting rural economic activity.
Highlighting agricultural progress over the past decade, the minister said India has significantly increased food production and strengthened its global standing in agriculture. Total foodgrain production has risen from 252 million tonnes in 2014 to 357 million tonnes, while horticulture output has increased from 277 million tonnes to 369 million tonnes. India has also emerged as the world’s largest producer and consumer of pulses.
Chouhan added that the government is working to enhance farmer support through initiatives such as the AI-based digital platform ‘Bharat Vistar’, which will provide farming information to farmers in their local languages via phone.
He also noted that agricultural credit has grown from Rs 8.45 lakh crore in 2014 to Rs 28.69 lakh crore, while nearly Rs 2 lakh crore has been paid to farmers as crop insurance claims. The annual agriculture budget has also increased from about Rs 27,000 crore earlier to more than Rs 1.40 lakh crore.