E-Paper
PM releases 21st PM-KISAN instalment; over 49 lakh Gujarat farmers to receive ₹986 crore
At a state-level event in Gandhinagar, the Gujarat government hands over approval letters under agricultural schemes and highlights relief measures for farmers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday released the 21st instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme from Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu, extending financial assistance of over ₹18,000 crore to more than 9 crore farmers across the country.
According to the state government, around 49.31 lakh farmers in Gujarat are set to receive ₹986 crore under this instalment via direct benefit transfer (DBT). Farmers in the state viewed the Prime Minister’s address through live telecasts at various centres.
A state-level event was organised in Gandhinagar to coincide with the central release of funds. Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel, Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani and Minister of State for Agriculture Ramesh Katara participated in the programme, where approval letters for various agricultural assistance schemes amounting to over ₹11.68 lakh were distributed along with the PM-KISAN benefits.
Addressing the gathering, Patel said the state government had announced a relief package of ₹10,000 crore to help farmers recover from losses caused by recent unseasonal and severe rainfall. He said the package was aimed at mitigating the impact on agricultural livelihoods.
The Chief Minister underlined the Prime Minister’s focus on expanding green cover and promoting alternative agricultural practices to address climate-related challenges. Referring to initiatives such as “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” and the push for natural farming, Patel said chemical-intensive cultivation was affecting soil health and human health, and described natural farming as critical for improving soil fertility and ensuring better outcomes for future generations.
He added that policy measures for farmers now span the entire value chain, “from seed to market”, and referred to the rollout of the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana as an example of continuity between budget announcements and subsequent implementation. Patel also said that more than 98% of farmers in Gujarat receive electricity during daytime, which, along with improved water availability, has altered the state’s agricultural landscape.
The Chief Minister recalled that the Krishi Mahotsav, launched in Gujarat in 2005, had enabled direct engagement with farmers in their fields. Through such outreach, he said, farmers receive guidance on crop choices, value addition and farm practices, describing it as a “lab to land” approach that the state continues to follow.
Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani, in his remarks, said the PM-KISAN scheme, launched in 2019, was being implemented with direct transfers into farmers’ bank accounts and with a focus on transparency. He added that about 3 lakh farmers from Gujarat joined the live telecast of the Coimbatore event through Krishi Vigyan Kendras, gram panchayats, APMCs and other centres.
Vaghani outlined a series of ongoing state initiatives in areas such as farm mechanisation, crop protection, use of nanotechnology and information technology in agriculture, as well as support for natural and zero-budget farming. These measures, he said, are intended to raise productivity, lower input costs and improve farm incomes.
He also pointed to procurement of crops at minimum support prices (MSP) when market prices fall below benchmark levels. In the current season, he said, farmers in Gujarat have supplied over one lakh metric tonnes of groundnut at 293 procurement centres, with purchases totalling more than ₹1,100 crore.
Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture) Dr. Anju Sharma, in her welcome address, said the government is implementing schemes that cover the full spectrum of agricultural activity, from sowing and input support to marketing and MSP-based procurement. She noted that farmers are increasingly using the upgraded i-Khedut Portal 2.0 to apply for benefits such as improved seeds, fertilisers, mechanised equipment, natural farming support and relief packages.
During the programme, assistance under various agriculture and horticulture schemes was distributed to 15 beneficiary farmers in the presence of the Chief Minister. The event was attended by Minister of State for Agriculture Ramesh Katara, Mayor Mira Patel, District Panchayat President Shilpa Patel, MLA Rita Patel, GSIC Managing Director Vijay Kharadi, Collector Mehul Dave, District Development Officer B.J. Patel and a large number of farmers.
