Jaipur:
Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the 24th installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) from Banaskantha, Gujarat, on Friday, October 30th. Under this installment, more than ₹18,690 crore was directly deposited into the bank accounts of more than 90 million farmers across the country, including Rajasthan. According to the government, this amount reflects the government's commitment to the welfare and economic empowerment of farmers.

The central government stated that the Prime Minister also dedicated to the nation 521 units established under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund to strengthen agricultural storage, processing, and related infrastructure. He also inaugurated 12 horticulture clusters to promote high-value horticultural crops and increase farmers' incomes.

A large number of farmers attended the Prime Minister's event in Gujarat. The event served as an important platform to reiterate the Government's continued commitment to the welfare, prosperity, and empowerment of farmers, as well as to highlight the importance of PM-KISAN and other key initiatives of the Department.

It should be noted that 23 installments of PM-KISAN have already been released, through which more than ₹447 lakh crore has already been distributed to eligible farmers. This scheme provides financial assistance to eligible farmer families through direct benefit transfer, helping them meet agricultural and household expenses and strengthening their livelihood security.

Farmers are the strongest pillars of developed India: PM Modi
In his address, Prime Minister Modi said that the new installment of PM Kisan Samman Nidhi has also reached the accounts of crores of small farmers of the country. Our farmers are one of the strongest pillars of developed India and our government has always given priority to the welfare of farmers, empowering them. The agriculture budget of the country has now increased more than 5 times as compared to 2013-14. PM Kisan Samman Nidhi has now become a part of the lives of crores of small farmers. Today, an amount of more than Rs 18,000 crore has been sent to the accounts of about 10 crore farmers.

The Prime Minister further said, "In the last few years, amid global uncertainties, fertilizer prices have risen significantly, but our government, dedicated to farmers, has ensured that this burden falls on them. The government has spent approximately 16 lakh crore rupees on this. Our constant effort is to reduce farmers' irrigation costs, and the PM-KUSUM scheme is playing an ever-increasing role in this. Nearly 1.2 million solar pumps have been distributed under this scheme so far."

Government Committed to Increasing Farmers' Income
The Government believes that agriculture is the backbone of India's economy, providing livelihoods to millions of farmers and ensuring food and nutrition security for the country. Under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the Government has taken several important initiatives during the last 12 years with the aim of increasing farmers' income, promoting modern agricultural practices and achieving the goal of self-reliance in the agricultural sector.

Key initiatives include the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN), Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Kisan Credit Cards, Minimum Support Price (MSP), and 'Per Drop More Crop.' These measures aim to provide financial support, strengthen risk protection, improve access to agricultural credit, and promote technology-based agricultural governance for the overall empowerment of farmers.

Promoting Sustainable Agricultural Practices
The government is also promoting self-reliance in agriculture through initiatives such as the National Mission on Edible Oils and the Mission for Self-Sufficiency in Pulses. Furthermore, the National Mission for Natural Farming is encouraging farmers to adopt sustainable agricultural practices through the development of clusters across the country.

Recognizing the importance of post-harvest management and agricultural infrastructure in providing farmers with better prices for their produce, the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) promotes investment in warehouses, cold storage facilities, primary processing centers, and other essential agricultural infrastructure. Nearly ₹1.75 lakh crore has been invested in over 2.28 lakh projects under the AIF, supporting the development of critical agricultural infrastructure across the country. These investments are expected to strengthen storage and processing capacities, reduce post-harvest losses, improve market access, and provide farmers with better returns for their produce.

The government is also promoting diversification toward high-value agricultural activities, particularly horticulture, to increase income opportunities and make farming more profitable. The development of horticulture clusters is an important step toward strengthening the horticulture value chain and encouraging the production and marketing of high-value crops.

These initiatives will further accelerate the Government's efforts to provide financial support to farmers, modernize agricultural infrastructure, promote crop diversification and build a prosperous, strong and self-reliant agriculture sector in line with the vision of a developed India.