More than Rs. 2.24 lakh crore released to more than Rs. 11 crore farmers under PM-KISAN

The Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, Shri Narendra Singh Tomar, in a written reply to question in the Lok Sabha stated that, “The efforts of the Government to double the income of farmers have yielded very positive results. In this regard Government had constituted an InterMinisterial Committee in April, 2016 to examine issues relating to “Doubling of Farmers Income (DFI)” and recommended strategies to achieve the same. The Committee submitted its final report to the Government in September, 2018 containing the strategy for doubling of farmers’ income through various policies, reforms and programmes. As per the strategy, Government has adopted and implemented several policies, reforms, developmental programmes and schemes for achieving higher incomes for the farmers directly or indirectly.”

These include:

1. Unprecedented enhancement in budget allocation

In the year 2013-14 the budget allocation of Ministry of Agriculture (including DARE) and Ministry of Fisheries, Animal Husbandry & Dairying was only 30223.88 crore. This has increased by more than 4.35 times to Rs. 1,31,612.41 crore in 2023-24.

2. Income support to farmers through PM KISAN

Launch of PM-KISAN in 2019 -an income support scheme providing Rs. 6000 per year in 3 equal installments. More than Rs. 2.24 lakh crore has been released so far to more than 11 crore farmers as of now

3. Pradhan Mantri Fasal BimaYojana (PMFBY)

Six year – PMFBY was launched in 2016 addressing problems of high premium rates for farmers and reduction in sum insured due to capping. In past 6 Years of implementation – 37.66 crore farmer applications have been enrolled and over 12.38 crore (Provisional) farmer applicants have received claims. During this period nearly Rs. 25,174 crore were paid by farmers as their share of premium against which claims of over Rs. 1,30,185 crore (Provisional) have been paid to them. Thus for every 100 rupees of premium paid by farmers, they have received about Rs. 517 as claims.

4. Institutional credit for agriculture sector

i. Increased from Rs. 7.3 lakh crore in 2013-14 with a target to reach Rs. 18.5 lakh crore in 2022-23.

ii. Benefit of concessional institutional credit through KCC at 4% interest per annum has also now been extended to Animal Husbandry and Fisheries farmers for meeting their short-term working capital needs.

iii. A special drive has been undertaken since February 2020 to provide concessional institutional credit with focus on covering all PM-KISAN beneficiaries through Kisan Credit Cards (KCC). As on 30.12.2022, 389.33 lakh new KCC applications have been sanctioned with a sanctioned credit limit of Rs. 4,51,672 crore as part of the drive.

5. Fixing of Minimum Support Price (MSP) at one-and-a half times the cost of production –

i. Government has increased the MSP for all mandated Kharif, Rabi and other commercial crops with a return of at least 50 per cent over all India weighted average cost of production from 2018-19.

ii. MSP for Paddy (common) has increased to Rs. 2040 per quintal in 2022-23 from Rs. 1310 per quintal in 2013-14.

iii. MSP for Wheat increased from Rs. 1400 per quintal in 2013-14 to Rs. 2125 per quintal in 2022-23.

6. Promotion of organic farming in the country

i. Paramparagat Krishi VikasYojana (PKVY) was initiated in 2015-16 to promote organic farming in the country. 32,384 clusters have been formed and an area of 6.53 lakh hectare has been covered benefitting 16.19 lakh farmers. In addition, Under Namami Gange Programme 1.23 lakh hectare area covered and under natural farming 4.09 lakh hectare area covered. Farmers in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Jharkhand have taken-up organic farming on either side of the river Ganga to control river water pollution as well as to fetch additional income to farmers.

ii. Government also proposes to promote sustainable natural farming systems through the scheme Bhartiya Prakratik Krishi Padhati (BPKP). The proposed scheme aims at cutting down cost of cultivation, enhancing farmer’s income and ensuring resource conservation and, safe and healthy soils, environment and food.

iii. Mission Organic Value Chain Development in North East Region (MOVCDNER) has been launched. 379 Farmer Producer Companies have been formed comprising of 1,89,039 farmers and covering 1,72,966 hectare area.

To Read More Download PDF Given Below: