PM Modi champion of farmers' welfare: Jitendra Singh

New Delhi, Feb 24 (PTI) Union Minister Jitendra Singh on Monday emphasised the "transformation" in India’s agricultural ecosystem over the last decade and said Prime Minister Narendra Modi was a champion of farmers' welfare.

Addressing a function at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra in Jammu, he lauded the "remarkable strides" made in India’s agricultural sector, highlighting a sixfold increase in the Union agriculture budget, from Rs 21,933.50 crore in 2013-14 to Rs 1,27,290 crore in 2025-26, according to an official statement.

"Over the past decade, we have witnessed a significant transformation in agriculture, with the government ensuring fixed support to farmers. Initiatives like soil health cards, Kisan credit cards, financial inclusion, and advanced technologies, such as drone usage for spraying pesticides and fertilisers, micro-irrigation in high-altitude areas, and the expansion of irrigation facilities, have played a crucial role," Singh said.

Prime Minister Modi is a champion of farmers' welfare, he added.

In his virtual address at the function on the occasion of the disbursal of the 19th instalment of the PM KISAN scheme by Modi, he unveiled the PM Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana, a new initiative aimed at identifying 100 districts for agricultural advancement, thereby ensuring that targeted resources and technologies are provided to boost productivity in these areas.

At an event in Bihar's Bhagalpur, Modi on Monday released the 19th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme under which more than Rs 22,000 crore was transferred to the bank accounts of 9.8 crore farmers across the country.

With Rs 3.46 lakh crore already distributed in 18 instalments, the PM KISAN programme continues to play a pivotal role in supporting farmers' livelihoods, said the statement issued by the Personnel Ministry.

In a bid to further strengthen the programme, Singh said 30 lakh more farmers have been added as beneficiaries under the PM KISAN scheme, according to the statement.

The Union minister underscored the government's commitment to making farmers and agriculture a vital part of Viksit Bharat @2047.

He reaffirmed that the government’s continued efforts to empower farmers and modernise agriculture would ensure the nation’s agricultural sector thrives and contributes to sustainable economic growth. PTI AKV RHL

Source: PTI