India, July 29 -- The Government of India issued the following news release:

Union Minister for Agriculture, Farmers Welfare, and Rural Development, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, on Tuesday, during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, provided a comprehensive update on the state of agriculture in the country. He shared facts and figures to highlight that the campaign to increase farmers' income is progressing steadily under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi.

The Union Minister outlined six key measures taken for agricultural development:

Boosting production Reducing input costs to raise farmers' income Ensuring fair prices for farm produce Providing adequate compensation in case of losses Promoting agricultural diversification, including cultivation of fruits, vegetables, medicinal plants, agroforestry, fishery, and animal husbandry Encouraging natural farming and balanced use of fertilisers to safeguard soil for future generations Shri Chouhan stated that over the past 10 years, crop production has increased from 246.42 million tonnes to 353.96 million tonnes. The production of pulses rose from 16.38 million tonnes to 25.24 million tonnes, and production of oilseeds has increased from 27.51 million tonnes to 42.61 million tonnes. Horticulture production also jumped from 280.70 million tonnes to 367.72 million tonnes. The Agriculture Minister also noted a significant increase in milk production in the country, entirely driven by farmers.

On the issue of farmers' income, Shri Chouhan asserted that many farmers have more than doubled their incomes under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, as he compared the previous UPA (United Progressive Alliance) government's agriculture budget of rs 27,000 crore with the current allocation of rs 1.27 lakh crore. The PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, which did not exist earlier, now benefits 10 crore farmers, Shri Chouhan said, adding that the central government is providing around rs 2 lakh crore in fertiliser subsidies annually.

The Agriculture Minister said that under the Modi government, institutional credit has also surged from rs 7 lakh crore during the UPA era to rs 25 lakh crore today. Regarding the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), he said the Centre has disbursed claims worth rs 1.83 lakh crore against a collected premium of rs 35,000 crore directly into farmers' accounts.

To promote income growth, the government is subsidising mechanisation and providing drip and sprinkler systems under the 'Per Drop More Crop' initiative. Investments are being made in polyhouses, greenhouses, and efforts are also underway to boost fruit and vegetable production and ensure fair procurement.

The Minister emphasised that to raise farmers' income, the government decided to ensure a minimum of 50% profit margin over cost in Minimum Support Prices (MSP). Large-scale procurement is currently underway, and farmers are receiving compensation for crop losses. Subsidised fertilisers like urea and DAP (Diammonium Phosphate) are also being made widely available, the Minister said.

Shri Chouhan further highlighted that special schemes have been designed for small landholders and tenant farmers. The Centre has allowed owners to authorise tenant farmers to receive PMFBY benefits. Recently, 6.55 lakh tenant and sharecropping farmers were covered under the scheme, benefiting a total of over 41.62 lakh farmers.

Shri Chouhan also informed the House that the PM-AASHA scheme has been launched to procure pulses and oilseeds like tur, masoor, and urad at 100% MSP. Measures are in place to ensure that middlemen don't exploit farmers, and that MSP rates are delivered effectively.

He cited data showing that MSP rates have significantly increased:

Paddy: rs 1,310 (2013-14) rs 2,369 Bajra: rs 1,250 rs 2,775 Ragi: rs 1,500 rs 4,886 Maize: rs 1,310 rs 2,400 Tur: rs 4,300 rs 8,000 Moong: rs 4,500 rs 8,768 Urad: rs 4,300 rs 7,800 Groundnut: rs 4,000 rs 7,263 Sunflower: rs 3,700 rs 7,721 Soybean: rs 2,560 rs 5,328 Sesame: rs 4,500 rs 9,846 Niger seed: rs 3,500 rs 9,537 Cotton: rs 3,700 rs 7,710 He stressed that MSPs have not only doubled, but procurement volumes have also risen significantly. Under the previous government, only 6 lakh metric tonnes of pulses were procured in 10 years. Under the current government, this figure has soared to 1.82 crore metric tonnes.

Concluding his remarks, Shri Chouhan said that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is a true well-wisher of farmers, and has restructured the PMFBY to be more farmer-friendly. If an insurance company fails to pay the due claim within 21 days of the deadline, 12% interest will be charged and credited directly to the farmer's account. The same 12% interest applies if a state government delays its share of the premium.

The Minister added that challenges related to crop cutting experiments are being addressed through YESTECH, a technology-based yield estimation system using satellite-based remote sensing. This shift will promote transparency and enable digital assessment of crop loss, ensuring timely and accurate compensation under PMFBY.

Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.