PM Modi releases 24th PM-Kisan instalment, says cash aid alone will not raise farm incomes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Friday that giving money alone is not enough to raise farmers' incomes. In his view, greater use of science and technology in farming and simultaneous work on every aspect are necessary. He was speaking at an event in Banaskantha, Gujarat, where the 24th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme was released.

In this instalment, Rs 1,835 crore was credited directly to the bank accounts of 91,12,765 farmers in Maharashtra. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis joined the event by video conference from Varsha, his residence in Mumbai. Parimal Singh, Secretary of the Agriculture Department, was also present.

Modi said that, owing to various Central government policies, farmers in the country have received more than Rs 50 lakh crore in the past few years and have also saved on production costs. He said more than 85 per cent of the country's farmers are small farmers, and that nearly Rs 4 lakh crore has so far been paid directly into their bank accounts under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi.

According to the Prime Minister, the government spent about Rs 16 lakh crore so that farmers would not bear the additional burden of rising fertiliser prices in the world market. He also said that in the past 12 years, Rs 24 lakh crore has been paid through minimum support price to farmers who grow wheat and paddy.

Citing government schemes to cut the cost of farming, Modi said nearly 12 lakh solar pumps have been provided so far under the PM-KUSUM scheme. This has saved farmers more than 80 crore litres of diesel. It has also given them a chance to earn by generating more electricity.

He also said that about 3,000 new and improved seed varieties have been given to farmers to cope with changing weather. Farmers have received more than Rs 2 lakh crore in compensation over the past ten years under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, he said.

Modi said animal husbandry and allied activities also need to be given importance alongside farming. Under the Rashtriya Gokul Mission, the conservation of indigenous livestock and scientific breeding are being promoted. A free vaccination campaign was run across the country to protect animals from foot-and-mouth disease, in which about 150 crore doses were given and the animals of more than eight crore farmers benefited.

The Prime Minister said the average daily milk yield of cows and buffaloes was less than five litres in 2013-14 and has now reached about eight litres. Finally, Modi appealed to youth and citizens to take part in large numbers in the Run for Unity to be held on October 31, the birth anniversary of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel.