January 01
Prime Minister Narendra Modi released 10th instalment of financial benefit under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme today via video conferencing. This enabled the transfer of an amount of more than Rs. 20,000 crore to more than 10 crore beneficiary farmer families.
During the programme, Prime Minister also released equity grant of more than Rs. 14 crore to about 351 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), which will benefit more than 1.24 lakh farmers.
Prime Minister interacted with FPOs during the event. Union Minister Narendra Singh Tomar and Chief Ministers, LGs, Agriculture Ministers and farmers from several states were linked to the event.
The Prime Minister said that PM Kisan Samman Nidhi is a big support for India’s farmers. If we include today’s transfer, more than 1.80 lakh crore rupees have been transferred directly to the accounts of the farmers, he said.
The Prime Minister said that through FPO’s small farmers are feeling the power of collective strength. He pointed out five benefits of FPOs for small farmers. These benefits are increased bargaining power, scale, innovation, risk management and adaptability to the market conditions. Keeping in mind the benefits of FPO’s the government is promoting them at every level. These FPOs are getting help of upto 15 lakh rupees. As a result, FPOs like Organic FPOs, Oil Seed FPOs, Bamboo clusters and Honey FPOs are coming up all over the country.
“Today our farmers are benefitting from the schemes like ‘One District One Products’ and markets, both nation and global, are opening for them”, the Prime Minister said. He said that reliance on imports is being reduced by schemes like National Palm Oil Mission with a budget of 11 thousand crore rupees.
The Prime Minister talked about the milestones that were achieved in the agriculture sector in the recent years. Food grain production touched 300 million tonnes, similarly Horticulture and floriculture production reached 330 million tonnes. Milk production also increased almost 45 per cent in last 6-7 years.
About 60 lakh hectare land was brought under micro irrigation; more than 1 lakh crore were given in compensation under Prime Minister Fasal BimaYojna, whereas premium received was just 21 thousand crores. Ethanol production increased from 40 crore litres to 340 crore litres in just seven years.
The Prime Minister also informed about the Goberdhan Scheme to promote bio-gas. If there will be value in cow dung, he said, the non miltching animals will not be burden on farmers. The Government has established Kaamdhenu Commission and is strengthening dairy sector infrastructure.
The Prime Minister once again pushed for promotion of natural farming. He said that chemical-free farming is a major way of protecting the health of soil. Natural farming is a key step in this direction, he said. He asked for making every farmer aware of the processes and benefits of natural farming. The Prime Minister concluded by calling upon the farmers to keep on doing innovation in farming and support the movement like cleanliness.
