The Prime Minister, Shri Narendra Modi launched various initiatives related to the agricultural and animal husbandry sector worth around Rs 23,300 crore in Washim, Maharashtra today. The initiatives include disbursing the 18th installment of the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi, launching the 5th installment of NaMo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana, the dedication of more than 7,500 projects under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), 9,200 Farmer Producer Organizations, five solar parks across Maharashtra with a total capacity of 19 MW and the launch of Unified Genomic Chip for cattle and indigenous sex-sorted semen technology.

Highlighting the disbursement of the 18th installment of the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi worth about Rs 20,000 crore to around 9.5 crore farmers today, the Prime Minister said that the state government strives to provide double benefits to its farmers. Shri Modi also touched upon NaMo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana where about 90 lakh farmers from Maharashtra have been handed financial assistance of approximately Rs 1900 crore. He mentioned dedicating multiple projects concerning Farmer Producer Organizations worth hundreds of crores.

Throwing light on the major steps taken to strengthen the farmers of India, the Prime Minister mentioned the dedication of 9,200 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and several key agricultural infrastructure projects to bolster the storage, processing, and management capabilities of agricultural products, thereby increasing the income of the farmers. “In Maharashtra, farmers are getting double the benefit under the present government,” Shri Modi added, praising the zero electricity bill policy for farmers by Chief Minister Shri Eknath Shinde’s government.

Sympathizing the farmers of Maharashtra and Vidarbha who have faced great hardships for many decades, the Prime Minister remarked that the previous governments had made the farmers miserable and poor. He lambasted that the grand coalition government as long as it was in power in Maharashtra, functioned with only two agendas, namely to stop the projects related to farmers and to commit corruption in the money of these projects. Shri Modi remarked that the funds which were sent from the Center were being diverted away from the beneficiaries. Reminding the people that, like the present Mahayuti government of Maharashtra which gives separate money along with the Kisan Samman Nidhi to the farmers, the BJP government used to give the same in Karnataka, the Prime Minister said that now it had been stopped with the new Government in power. Shri Modi also added that the farmers of Telangana are today questioning the state Government on the poll-promise of loan waivers.

Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan said that Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi has transferred Rs 20,400 crore of Kisan Samman Nidhi to the accounts of farmers. Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is farmer friendly and decisions are being taken continuously in favour of farmers in every cabinet. Shri Chouhan said that not only Kisan Samman Nidhi but also 109 high yielding new seed varieties have been dedicated to the farmers.

Union Minister Shri Chouhan said that when the price of soybean fell, Prime Minister Shri Modi took a decision in the interest of farmers and imposed 20% import duty on soyabean oil coming from abroad and as a result, the price of soyabean is now increasing continuously and farmers are also getting good prices. Prime Minister Shri Modi reduced the export duty from 40% to 20% so that onion producing farmers of Maharashtra can get better prices. Shri Modi declared the minimum support price i.e. MSP by giving a profit of 50% on the cost. Permission was also given to buy soyabean at the minimum support price.

Shri Chouhan said that while giving a subsidy of Rs 2100 on a 35 kg bag of urea to farmers, it is sold to farmers for Rs 266 whereas its cost is Rs 2366. On a 50 kg pack of DAP, the government gives a subsidy of Rs 1083 to farmers and it is sold to farmers for Rs 1350.

Background

In line with his commitment to empowering farmers, the Prime Minister disbursed the 18th installment of the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi worth about Rs 20,000 crore to around 9.4 crore farmers. With the 18th installment release, the total funds released to farmers under PM-KISAN will be around Rs 3.45 lakh crore. Further, the Prime Minister also launched the 5th installment of NaMo Shetkari Mahasanman Nidhi Yojana disbursing about Rs 2,000 crore.

The Prime Minister dedicated to the nation more than 7,500 projects under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), worth over Rs 1,920 crore. The major projects include custom hiring centers, primary processing units, warehouses, sorting and grading units, cold storage projects, and post-harvest management projects among others.

The Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation 9,200 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) with a combined turnover of around Rs 1,300 crore.

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