Prime Minister Narendra Modi addressed the Rajya Sabha on Wednesday, emphasizing the government’s extensive efforts across various sectors. He noted that global circumstances had created a significant crisis in fertilizer availability. In response, the government provided approximately Rs. 12 lakh crore in fertilizer subsidies, the highest in the history of independent India, without passing this burden onto the farmers. He also highlighted the government’s initiative in launching the world’s largest food grain storage campaign. The guiding principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” (Together with All, Development for All) remains central to their service to the nation.
Record-Breaking Benefits for Farmers:
PM Modi emphasized that over the past ten years, the government has focused on making agriculture profitable for farmers in every possible way. This includes providing crop loans, ensuring the availability of new seeds, maintaining reasonable fertilizer prices, offering crop insurance benefits, and purchasing crops at the Minimum Support Price (MSP). The government has made concerted efforts to support farmers from seeds to market through detailed micro-planning.
Benefits through Kisan Credit Cards:
PM Modi highlighted that it has become significantly easier for even the smallest farmers to obtain loans with the help of Kisan Credit Cards. This initiative has provided a comprehensive support framework for farmers. Additionally, the government has extended the benefits of Kisan Credit Cards to livestock farmers and fishermen, further strengthening the agricultural sector.
Millions of Farmers Benefited from the PM-KISAN Scheme: Prime Minister Modi pointed out that during the Congress’s tenure, farmers were misled with the promise of loan waivers once in ten years, which was estimated to benefit around 3 crore farmers. However, many small and marginal farmers did not receive any benefits. In contrast, the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme has provided substantial benefits to millions of farmers today.
