Launching several development projects in Sikar, Rajasthan on Thursday Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi dedicated more than 1.25 lakh PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras (PMKSKs) to the nation.
On this occasion Modi also launched Urea Gold – a new variety of Urea coated with Sulphur, and kicked off onboarding of 1600 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) on Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC).
Another important highlight of Modi’s visit related to farmers and farming was the release of the 14th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) to 8.5 crore beneficiaries, which amounted to about Rs 17,000 crores. The PM also inaugurated new medical colleges and Eklavya Model Residential Schools.
Reports of cooperatives across states glued to the PM speech have come to our desk with IFFCO, Kribhco, Amul and others arranging live telecasts of the PM’s speech for their members across the country.
IFFCO MD Dr U S Awasthi informs through tweets that a large number of farmers listened to the PM’s speech. Awasthi also tweeted pictures of farmers connected to the IFFCO listening to PM’s speech from various states. MD enlists the benefits of PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras in one of the tweets.
Upon arriving at the venue, the Prime Minister took a walk-through the model of PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendra. Speaking about the PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras, the Prime Minister said that they would directly benefit crores of farmers at the village and block level.
The PM informed that these Kendras are being developed as one-stop shops for the needs of the farmers and will also provide the latest information on agriculture-related issues to the farmers. It will also provide timely information regarding agriculture schemes of the government. Modi advised the farmers to keep visiting kendras and take benefits from the knowledge available there.
The Prime Minister informed that an additional 1.75 lakh PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras (PMKSKs) will be established before the end of the year.
Referring to the PM Kissan Samman Nidhi, the Prime Minister said that it is the largest scheme in the world where funds are directly transferred into the bank accounts of farmers. He informed that more than 2 lakh 60 thousand crore rupees have been directly transferred to the bank accounts of farmers so far if today’s 14th installment is to be included which has been beneficial to the farmers in covering various expenses.
He also mentioned the onboarding of Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) on Open Network for Digital Commerce (ONDC) and said that it would make it easier for the farmers to take their produce to the market from any part of the country.
The ONDC empowers FPOs with direct access to digital marketing, online payment, Business-to-business (B2B) and Business-to-consumer transactions, and encourages local value addition, catalyzing growth of logistics in rural areas.
The Prime Minister launched Urea Gold – a new variety of Urea that is coated with Sulphur. The introduction
of Sulphur Coated Urea will address sulphur deficiencies in the soil. This innovative fertilizer is more economical and efficient than neem-coated urea, improves nitrogen use efficiency in plants, reduces consumption of fertilizer, and enhances crop quality, the PM said.
The Prime Minister noted that the present Government is working in all earnest to reduce the expenses of the farmers and support them in their times of need. He referred to the constant urea price in India and gave examples of spiralling urea prices in other countries.
The Prime Minister talked about the promotion of millet and measures like branding millets as Shree Anna. Modi said “India’s development is possible only if its villages develop. India can be Viksit only with Viksit villages.
The Governor of Rajasthan, Shri Kalraj Mishra, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister for Jal Shakti, Shri Gajendra Singh Shekhawat, Union Minister for Health and Family Welfare, Shri Mansukh Mandaviya, Union Minister for Law and Justice, Shri Arjun Ram Meghwal, and Union Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shri Kailash Choudhary were present on the occasion, among others.
