Gandhinagar: Prime Minister Narendra Modi today released the 20th installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) Yojana from Varanasi, disbursing over ₹20,500 crore directly into the accounts of 9.7 crore farmers across the country.
As part of this initiative, more than 52.16 lakh farmer families in Gujarat received over ₹1,148 crore via Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT). The national-scale event was marked at the state level with a celebratory programme in Gandhinagar, chaired by Chief Minister Bhupendra Patel.
Transparent Implementation Has Strengthened Farmers’ Trust: CM Patel
Addressing the gathering, CM Bhupendra Patel highlighted the government’s commitment to ensuring transparency and equity in the implementation of PM-KISAN. “Under PM Modi’s leadership, PM-KISAN has become the world’s largest DBT scheme,” he stated.
The CM emphasised that since the scheme’s inception in 2019, ₹3.69 lakh crore has been transferred through 19 installments, directly benefiting small and marginal farmers nationwide. Gujarat farmers alone have received ₹19,993 crore so far, with the latest installment further reinforcing the state’s agriculture sector.
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Reforms and Investments Empowering Farmers from Seed to Market
The Chief Minister credited the PM’s vision for building a comprehensive support ecosystem for farmers. “In the past decade, India’s agriculture budget has increased fivefold. Over 25 crore Soil Health Cards have been distributed to help farmers understand and improve soil health,” he said.
He also referenced new central schemes such as:
PM Dhan-Dhanya Krishi Yojana, aimed at raising productivity in 100 low-yield districts.
PM Kisan SAMPADA Yojana, which supports value addition and infrastructure in agri-processing.
CM Patel reiterated Gujarat’s alignment with the Viksit Bharat@2047 vision, through initiatives like natural farming promotion and the establishment of the Gujarat Natural Farming Science University in Halol.
3 Lakh Farmers in Gujarat Join PM’s Address Virtually
More than 3 lakh farmers across Gujarat viewed the Prime Minister’s address through live broadcasts at over 7,000 locations, including Gram Panchayats and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs). State ministers, MLAs, officials, and local leaders were present at district-level events.
Agriculture Minister Raghavji Patel, speaking virtually from Rajkot, urged farmers to maximise the use of modern farming tools and schemes offered by the central and state governments.
Assistance Distributed, Progressive Farmers Felicitated
During the Gandhinagar event, beneficiaries of various agriculture schemes received financial aid, and progressive farmers were felicitated for adopting innovative practices.
Dr. Anju Sharma, Additional Chief Secretary (Agriculture), welcomed dignitaries and presented an overview of the scheme’s success in Gujarat. She noted that over 11 lakh farmers have registered on the i-Khedut portal to avail benefits of government schemes.
Key Dignitaries Present
The event was attended by:
- Shilpa Patel, Gandhinagar District Panchayat President
- Ritaben Patel, Gandhinagar North MLA
- Sandeep Kumar, Secretary, Animal Husbandry Department
- Vijay Kharadi, MD, Gujarat Agro Industries Corporation
Senior state officials, agriculture department personnel, and thousands of farmers
