PM Modi inaugurates Kisan Samman Sammelan in New Delhi
By Andalib Akhter
Prime Minister Narendra Modi today released the 12th instalment amount of 16 thousand crore rupees to farmers under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi through Direct Benefit Transfer.
Inaugurating the PM Kisan Samman Sammelan 2022 here today, Mr. Modi said, PM-KISAN is a transformational initiative for the farmers. He said, today’s event has brought together farmers, agri-startups, and stakeholders on a single platform. He said, Agri-startups in the country are working to help farmers increase harvest, improve soil health, and are creating easy-to-use technology to improve agriculture outcomes.
Mr. Modi said the need of the hour is to adopt technology-based modern farming techniques. Startups and innovative youth are the future of Indian agriculture and the rural economy of India. He said, over 22 crore Soil Health Cards have been given so that farmers have ready information about their land and harvest. PM Modi inaugurates Kisan Samman Sammelan in New Delhi; Releases Rs 16,000 crore to farmers under PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi. Mr. Modi said, during the last 7 to 8 year about one thousand seven hundred new varieties of seeds that are suited to the changed climate conditions have been made available to the farmers.
Prime Minister said, today, India is working towards aatmanirbharta in urea production and moving towards liquid nano-urea. He said, this will be a major milestone for the agriculture sector. Mr. Modi said, Nano Urea will emerge as a cost-effective medium for farming purposes. He said, from today onwards, urea will be widely sold under the single brand name Bharat.
Prime Minister said, under the Per Drop More Crop scheme, government is giving importance to drip irrigation and use of sprinklers. He said, this initiative will help conserve water and maintain soil health. Mr. Modi said, more than 70 lakh hectare land has been brought under micro irrigation in the last 7 to 8 years. Mr Modi said, by using tech-driven initiatives government has reduced the distance between farms and marketplace. Through Kisan rail and Krishi UDAN, farmers are connected not just to metros but also to international markets leading to an increase in agri-exports.
Prime Minister Modi stressed on the need to reduce the dependence on foreign imports and that is the reason the impetus has been given to the Biofuel Ethanol. He said, Ethanol production by the farmers will give rise to development of sustainable automobile fuels. Mr. Modi said, government is dedicated to provide the best technology and innovation in the agricultural sector. He informed that India is among the top 10 countries in terms of agricultural exports. Mr. Modi said, Agri exports increased by 18 percent despite the problems of the worldwide pandemic.
Stressing the need to encourage natural farming, the Prime Minister informed that it provides an important medium to solve the challenges of the future. He said, farmers are working on a large scale in Gujarat, Himachal Pradesh and Andhra Pradesh as well as in Uttar Pradesh, Uttarakhand for natural farming. Mr. Modi said, in Gujarat, plans are being made for natural farming at the district and gram panchayat level as well.
On the occasion, Prime Minister also inaugurated six hundred Pradan Mantri Kisan Samruddhi Kendras of Ministry of Chemicals and Fertilizers. Under it the fertilizer retail shops in the country will be converted into Pradan Mantri Kisan Samruddhi Kendras in a phased manner. The Kendras will cater to a wide variety of needs of the farmers and provide agri-inputs, testing facilities for soil, seeds, fertilizers and generate awareness among farmers. More than three lakh 30 thousand retail fertilizer shops are planned to be converted into Pradan Mantri Kisan Samruddhi Kendras. Mr. Modi also launched Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana – One Nation One Fertilizer.
On the occasion, Agriculture and Farmer Welfare Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said, government has taken several steps to increase the income of farmers. He said, more than two thousand Agri Startups are working and helping farmers to reduce losses in the agricultural sector. Mr. Tomar said, government is trying to take the number of Agri Startups to ten thousand. The Minister said, so far, eligible farmer families have received benefits of more than two lakh crore rupees under PM-KISAN.
Chemical and Fertilizer Minister Dr. Mansukh Mandaviya said that Agricultural research in the country has got a boost under the Narendra Modi government. He said, now India has became the first country in the world to start commercial production of nano urea. Dr. Mandaviya said, the government is providing a better market to farmers so that they can get better and fair price for their produce.
During the event, Prime Minister inaugurated the Agri Startup Conclave and Exhibition. About 300 startups are showcasing their innovation. These are related to Precision Farming, Post-Harvest and Value Add Solutions, Allied Agriculture, Waste to Wealth, Mechanisation for Small Farmers, Supply Chain Management, Argi-Logistic, among others. The platform will facilitate startups to interact with farmers, Farmer Producer Organizations, agri-experts and corporates.
Mr. Modi also launched an e-magazine on fertilizer – Indian Edge. It will provide information on domestic and international fertilizer scenarios, including recent developments, price trends analysis, availability and consumption, success stories of farmers, among others.