GUWAHATI, June 20: Union Minister Sarbananda Sonowal on Saturday said that more than 18.56 lakh farmers in Assam are receiving benefits under the 23rd instalment of PM-KISAN, with tillers in the state having received cumulative assistance exceeding Rs 8,200 crore since the launch of the scheme.
He was addressing a gathering at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Kamrup, after virtually attending the PM-KISAN Samman Utsav as Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the 23rd instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) in West Bengal, transferring more than Rs 18,880 crore directly into the bank accounts of over 9.44 crore farmers across the country.
“Today is not merely the release of another instalment under a government scheme. It is a celebration of the trust between the government and our Annadatas,” the Union minister for Ports, Shipping and Waterways said.
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Highlighting the impact of PM-KISAN in Assam, Sonowal said that more than 18.56 lakh farmers in the state are receiving benefits under the 23rd instalment, with over Rs 371 crore being transferred directly into their bank accounts.
Since the launch of the scheme, farmers in Assam have received cumulative assistance exceeding Rs 8,292 crore, he added.
“The money transferred to the farmers of the region means seeds are purchased on time, fertilisers bought without borrowing, farm investments made with confidence and support reaching farmers exactly when they need it,” Sonowal said.
He maintained that the country has witnessed a historic shift from a system plagued by leakages and middlemen to one driven by transparency and accountability through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).
“The era of middlemen skimming off money meant for the poor has been decisively obliterated through technology-enabled governance. PM-KISAN is one of the finest examples of this transformation where financial assistance reaches farmers directly into their bank accounts without delay, discrimination or leakage,” Sonowal said.
The Union minister asserted that the DBT architecture has empowered small and marginal farmers, strengthened financial inclusion and enabled rural families to make timely investments in agriculture.
He also highlighted the ongoing Khet Bachao Abhiyan being conducted across 728 districts of the country to promote scientific farming practices and healthy soil management among more than one crore farmers.
He emphasised that ‘Viksit Bharat 2047’ will be built on the strength of the villages and the prosperity of the farmers.
India’s farmers have moved from being passive beneficiaries of welfare schemes to active partners in nation-building, Sonowal added.
The Union minister also highlighted the broader transformation taking place in the agriculture sector over the last 12 years.
He said the agriculture budget has increased from Rs 27,663 crore to Rs 1.40 lakh crore, while around 8 crore Kisan Credit Cards have been issued across the country to ensure affordable institutional credit for farmers.
Minimum support prices (MSP) for major crops are being provided at around one-and-a-half times the cost of production, while initiatives such as the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, e-NAM and PM Fasal Bima Yojana are helping farmers improve productivity, access wider markets, and mitigate risks, he said.
Sonowal also highlighted India’s growing agricultural strength, noting that agricultural, marine and food exports have crossed Rs 4 lakh crore annually.
He said the creation of 10,000 Farmer-Producer Organisations (FPOs) and the Rs 750 crore AgriSure Fund are helping farmers embrace innovation, entrepreneurship and value addition. (PTI)
