Along with the poor, youth and women, Anantattas or farmers are part of the population that is of special concern to the Narendra Modi government. Prime Minister Modi has made it clear that these four sections of Indian society will always be his top priority and his government’s plans and policies will be formulated keeping in mind their welfare.

The Prime Minister popularized the practice of calling Indian farmers “annadatas”. To this end, the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, has implemented several programs to improve the lives of farmers by providing financial security, skill development, market access and sustainable agricultural practices. Some of these plans are:

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Saman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)

Launched in 2019, PM-Kisan is an income support program aimed at helping small and marginal farmers. Under the scheme, eligible farmers will receive direct financial assistance of Rs 6,000 per year in three equal installments. The program has significantly increased their income and improved their quality of life. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Kisan Samman Nidhi, direct financial assistance was provided to 118 million farmers, including marginal and small farmers.

Minimum Support Price (MSP)

The Government of India has fixed the Minimum Support Price (MSP) for 22 mandatory crops based on the recommendations of the Commission on Agricultural Costs and Prices (CACP) and inputs from relevant state governments and central ministries/departments. The government in the union budget 2018-19 announced the predetermined principle of maintaining MSP at one and a half times the cost of production. Accordingly, the minimum support scheme for all statutory crops (karif, rabi and other cash crops) has been increased with a return of at least 50 per cent higher compared to the all-India weighted average cost of production in the agricultural year 2018-19.

Over the past 10 years, farmers have received minimum subsidy of nearly Rs 1,800 crore for rice and wheat crops. This is 2.5 times that of the 10 years before 2014. Over the past 10 years, farmers producing oilseeds and pulses have received MSP of over Rs 125 crore.

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)

Launched in 2016, PMFBY provides comprehensive crop insurance to farmers at affordable premiums. Ensure timely compensation for crop losses caused by natural disasters, diseases and insect pests. The program has brought financial security and stability to millions of farmers, safeguarding their livelihoods. Prime Minister Fasal Bima Yojana provided crop insurance to 40 million farmers.

Soil Health Card Scheme

Launched in 2015, the Soil Health Card scheme provides farmers with a personalized soil health report, providing valuable insights into soil nutrients and advice on balanced fertilization. By promoting proper soil management practices, the program optimizes yields, reduces input costs, and enhances soil health on farmland. Since 2014-15, a total of 8,272 soil testing laboratories have been established across the country. So far, Rs 23.58 million in soil health cards have been issued to farmers.

e-NAM (Electronic-National Agricultural Market)

Launched in 2016, e-NAM is an electronic trading portal integrating agricultural produce markets across India. It enables farmers to sell their produce online, discover competitive prices and connect with buyers across the country. This digital platform revolutionizes agricultural trade, eliminating middlemen, ensuring transparency and providing farmers with fair market access. e-NAM has integrated 1,361 mandis and served 1.8 crore farmers with a transaction volume of Rs 3 lakh crore. To date, approximately 8,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) have been established.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samreedy Kendras

This is an initiative launched by the Fertilizer Department in August 2022 to provide one-stop access to quality agricultural inputs such as fertilizers, seeds and pesticides at reasonable prices. It also provides soil testing services and provides advisory services to farmers to improve their farm practices and yields. The government has established over 1.75 lakh Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samriddhi Kendras so far.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana

This is an umbrella plan that incorporates the ministry’s ongoing projects such as mega food parks, integrated cold chain and value addition infrastructure, food safety and quality assurance infrastructure, etc. SAMPADA stands for “Agro-Processing and Agri-Processing Cluster Development Scheme”. Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana has benefited 3.8 million farmers and created employment opportunities for 1 million people. The Modi government is promoting private and public investments in post-harvest activities, including aggregation, modern storage, efficient supply chains, primary and secondary processing, marketing and branding.

Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY)

PMKVY was launched in 2015 to provide skill training to farmers and rural youth. Implemented by the National Skill Development Corporation (NSDC), the program has provided basic agricultural skills, increased productivity and created employment opportunities to over 40 million farmers and rural youth.

Pradhan Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana

A plan to achieve blue revolution through sustainable and responsible development of fisheries sector in India, with an estimated investment of Rs 20,050 crore for the overall development of the fisheries sector, including the welfare of fishermen.

Dairy Development and Livestock Plan

India is the world’s largest milk producer, but dairy cow productivity is low. The program will build on the success of existing schemes such as Rashtriya Gokul Mission, National Animal Husbandry Mission and Dairy Processing and Animal Husbandry Infrastructure Development Fund.

Prime Minister Modi is on a mission to empower farmers, take agriculture away from middlemen, directly to markets and most importantly to become self-sufficient to deal with any emergency. All these plans were implemented in mission mode during 2014-24.

Separately, Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who has never quit the reform process, withdrew three progressive bills, citing extremist elements that had infiltrated protesting farmer groups, officials said. This is what happened when farmers from several states agitated against the farm bills at Delhi borders. Officials said the prime minister himself said he did not want farmers to suffer because of these extremists. That these bills were eventually withdrawn in the interest of farmers is a testament to Prime Minister Modi’s care and concern for farmers.