On Saturday, the 23rd installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme will be released by Prime Minister Narendra Modi. More than 9,44 million farmers would have more than Rs 18,880 crore deposited into their bank accounts. The Union Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare, in conjunction with the Government of West Bengal, is organising the event, which is set to take place at Tarakeswar in the Hooghly district of West Bengal.
The most recent installment is a major step forward for the government’s main income-support program for farmers. The 23rd installment has strengthened rural livelihoods and empowered women in agriculture, with almost 2.18 crore women farmers among its beneficiaries, according to government figures.
This installment brings the total distribution under PM-KISAN since the scheme’s commencement on February 24, 2019, to more than 4.46 lakh crore rupees. One of the biggest direct benefit transfer programs in the world, the program helps farmers financially.
Significant advantages are anticipated for West Bengal beneath the most recent installment. Over 45.35 million people in the state will receive a sum that exceeds Rs 907.21 crore. West Bengali farmers will have received a total of more than Rs 15,055 crore in aid since the start of the PM-KISAN program.
Special programs will be conducted across states, districts, blocks, and gram panchayats under the title of “PM-KISAN Utsav Diwas.” The purpose of these programs is to raise awareness about various farmer-centric initiatives. Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) and regional agricultural departments would lend a hand in carrying out these initiatives.
It is anticipated that over one crore farmers will participate virtually in the main program through video conferencing from various locations such as KVKs, ICAR institutes, agricultural universities, PM Kisan Samriddhi Kendras, agriculture mandis, Primary Agricultural Cooperative Societies, and village-level centers.
In addition to the PM-KISAN funding, Prime Minister Modi will extend and implement many large-scale agricultural programs in West Bengal to enhance farming sustainability, risk management, and productivity.
The PMFBY and RWBCIS, the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme, were launched in the state, which is one of the important announcements. Farmers in West Bengal will be able to take advantage of the world’s biggest crop insurance program thanks to these initiatives.
The program’s stated goal is to insure roughly 30 lakh hectares of farmland belonging to approximately 1.10 crore farmers during the 2026–27 growing season. The initiative will provide protection for crops valued at an estimated Rs 28,140 crore. The federal and state governments would pool their resources to subsidise premiums to the tune of about Rs 777 crore, making it affordable for all.
In West Bengal, the Prime Minister will also introduce AgriStack, a unified digital platform that will enable access to verified agricultural services. This launch is part of the Digital Agriculture Mission. Through its digitally connected ecosystem, the platform will enable a variety of farmer services, including the distribution of fertiliser, Kisan Credit Cards, Direct Benefit Transfers (DBT), procurement under the Minimum enable Price (MSP) system, and more.
In addition, the Prime Minister will visit West Bengal to inaugurate the National Mission on Natural Farming, an initiative to promote chemical-free, sustainable agriculture that draws on traditional Indian farming methods. About 43,250 farmers will reap the benefits of 346 natural farming clusters spread across 17,300 ha, thanks to the state’s authorised action plan for 2026–27. Bio-Input Resource Centres and Krishi Sakhis, which encourage sustainable farming methods, are also part of the program.
Prime Minister Modi will also launch a massive program in West Bengal called the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY). Improving agricultural productivity, crop diversification, irrigation and post-harvest infrastructure, institutional credit access, and ensuring convergence of various Central and State Government schemes will be the focus of the scheme, which will cover the districts of Purulia, Darjeeling, Alipurduar, and Jhargram.
Taken as a whole, these programs demonstrate the government’s will to bolster the agriculture industry via measures including digital innovation, sustainable farming, integrated rural development, direct income support, and crop protection.
Image: PIB
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