HT Bureau
GUWAHATI, Aug 2: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday released the 20th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme from Varanasi, disbursing ₹20,500 crore as direct benefit to over 9.7 crore farmers across the country.
Union Minister of Ports, Shipping & Waterways Sarbananda Sonowal joined the programme virtually from Dibrugarh, where he noted that ₹422.05 crore had been released to 20.31 lakh beneficiaries in Assam under the scheme.
Related Posts:
Terming the moment as a significant stride in agrarian empowerment, Sonowal praised the Prime Minister as a “visionary leader empowering the farming community with Krishak Shakti.”
The programme in Dibrugarh was organised at the Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) by Assam Agricultural University in coordination with the District Agriculture Department.
During his interaction with farmers, the Union Minister emphasised the need to increase agricultural productivity through innovation and grassroots participation.
“Our farmers are the backbone of the nation,” Sonowal said, “With initiatives like PM-KISAN, the Modi Government is providing direct financial support and ushering in a new era of agrarian empowerment. I urge every farmer to be a partner in India’s unstoppable journey towards economic progress.”
The Minister also underlined the broader impact of various government welfare programmes over the last 11 years, including PM Awas Yojana, Ujjwala, Saubhagya, Ayushman Bharat, SHG schemes for women, and large-scale infrastructure development, which, he said, have lifted over 25 crore people out of poverty.
Referring to the cumulative progress under PM-KISAN, Sonowal said over ₹3.7 lakh crore has so far been directly transferred to farmers’ accounts in annual tranches of ₹6,000, strengthening the rural economy and ensuring financial security at the grassroots.
Several dignitaries were present at the Dibrugarh programme, including MLAs Ponakan Baruah, Binod Hazarika, and Chakradhar Gogoi; Assam Tourism Development Corporation Chairman Rituparna Baruah; Assam Petrochemicals Ltd Chairman Bikul Deka; Deputy Mayor Ujjwal Phukan; DDA Chairman Asim Hazarika; Sonowal Kachari Autonomous Council CEM Tangkeshwar Sonowal; Dibrugarh Deputy Commissioner Bikram Kairi, and Zilla Parishad Chairperson Pushpanjali Sonowal.
