PM releases 9th installment of PM-Kisan
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today released the next installment of financial benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) through video conferencing. During the program, the Prime Minister also interacted with the farmer beneficiaries. An amount of more than Rs 19,500 crore was transferred to more than 9.75 crore beneficiary farmer families. This was the 9th installment of financial benefits under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN).
Addressing the gathering, the Prime Minister discussed the sowing season and hoped that the amount received today would help the farmers. He also mentioned the completion of one year of the scheme of Kisan Infrastructure Fund with a fund of one lakh crore rupees today. The Prime Minister talked about initiatives like Honey Mission (Mission Honey-Bee) and making saffron of Jammu and Kashmir in Nafed shops. The Honey Mission has resulted in export of honey worth Rs 700 crore, which has brought additional income to the farmers.
Referring to the upcoming 75th Independence Day, he said that it is not only a proud occasion but also an occasion to take new resolutions. He said that we have to use this opportunity to decide where we want to see India in the coming 25 years. In his address, the Prime Minister said that in 2047, when the country completes 100 years of its independence, our agriculture and our farmers will play a big role in determining the status of India. It is time to give direction to India’s agriculture to face new challenges and take advantage of new opportunities. He called for bringing changes in Indian agriculture according to the needs of the changing times. He lauded the farmers for record production during the pandemic and outlined the measures taken by the government to mitigate the hardships of the farmers in this difficult time. The government ensured uninterrupted supply of seeds, fertilizers and access to markets. Urea remained available throughout this period and when the prices of DAP in the international market increased manifold, the government immediately made a provision of Rs 12000 crore for the same so that the farmers do not feel the burden.
The Prime Minister said that whether it is Kharif or Rabi season, the government has made the biggest ever purchase from farmers on Minimum Support Price (MSP). Due to this, about one lakh 70 thousand crore rupees have directly reached the account of farmers producing rice and about 85,000 crore rupees have gone directly to the account of farmers producing wheat.
The Prime Minister reminded that when there was a shortage of pulses in the country a few years back, he urged the farmers to increase the production of pulses. He said that as a result of this the production of pulses in the country has increased by about 50 percent in the last 6 years.
The Prime Minister highlighted the ‘National Mission on Edible Oils-Oil Palms i.e. NMEO-OP’ as a determination to achieve self-sufficiency in edible oil. He said that today when the country is remembering the ‘Quit India Movement’, on this historic day, this determination fills us with new energy. He said that more than Rs 11,000 crore would be invested in the overall system related to edible oil through the ‘National Edible Oil Mission-Oil Palm’ mission. The government will ensure that the farmers get all the facilities from the best seeds to technology. The Prime Minister said that for the first time today, India has included itself in the top 10 countries of the world in terms of agricultural exports. During the crisis of Corona, the country has set new records in agricultural exports. He said that today when India has become recognized as a major agricultural exporting country, it is not right to depend on imports for our edible oil needs.
The Prime Minister said that small farmers are now being given top priority in the country’s agricultural policies. With this spirit, since the last few years, very serious efforts are being made to provide convenience and security to these small farmers. Under the ‘PM Kisan Samman Nidhi’, Rs 1 lakh 60 crore has been given to the farmers so far. Out of this, Rs 1 lakh crore has been transferred to small farmers during the crisis period of the pandemic. More than 2 crore Kisan Credit Cards were issued during the Corona period, most of which were given to small farmers. Similar farmers will be benefited from the agricultural infrastructure and connectivity infrastructure being set up in the country. Initiatives like Food Park, Kisan Rail and Infrastructure Fund will go a long way in helping small farmers. Last year, more than 6 thousand projects have been approved under the Infrastructure Fund. The Prime Minister said that these steps greatly enhance the access of small farmers to the market as well as their ability to bargain through FPOs.
