In order to provide income support to farmers’ families across India, to enable them to take care of expenses related to agriculture & related activities and domestic needs, the Centre has introduced many schemes as well as programmes, Union Minister of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare Narendra Singh Tomar said.
Central government has been taking various long term sustainable measures to improve agriculture productivity as well as farmers’ income through the following schemes and programmes;
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi yojana, popularly known as PM-Kisan scheme was launched on 24th Feb. 2019. Under PM-Kisan, an amount of Rs. 6000 is transferred into the bank accounts of farmers every year. But farmers with higher income status are not eligible for the scheme. Land owning farmers practicing fisheries and animal husbandry can also take the benefit of PM-Kisan subject to the exclusion criteria of the scheme.
PMFBY: To provide better insurance coverage to crops for risk mitigation, the government had launched a crop insurance scheme known as Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana or PMFBY that provides insurance cover for all stages of the crop cycle i.e. postharvest risks in specified instances, with low premium contribution by cultivators.
SHC: Scheme of Soil Health Cards has been implemented by the Centre so that the use of fertilizers can be reduced.
KCC: Kisan Credit Cards has been introduced for easy availability of agricultural credit to cultivators, including animal husbandry & fisheries farmers.
MSPs: Minimum Support Price has been announced for different crops from time-to- time.
e-NAM scheme has been undertaken to offer farmers an electronic, transparent & competitive online trading platform.
Per drop more crop plan has been implemented under which drip or sprinkler irrigation is encouraged for proper utilization of water thereby reducing cost of inputs & increasing productivity.
Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana or PKVY has been executed for promoting organic farming.
PMAASHA: An Umbrella Scheme known as ‘Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay Sanrakshan Abhiyan or PMAASHA has been introduced, aimed at ensuring remunerative prices to the farmers.
Institutional agricultural credit at reasonable interests has been brought within the reach of more & more farmers. Centre provides interest subvention of 2 percent on short-term crop loans up to Rs three lakh. Currently, loan is available to farmers at an interest rate of 4 percent per annum on prompt repayment.
Under Interest Subvention Scheme 2018-19, to provide some relief to the farmers after natural calamities, an interest subvention of 2 percent has been made available for the 1st year on the restructured amount. To discourage distress sale by growers and to persuade them to store their produce in warehouses against negotiable receipts, interest subvention would be available to small & marginal farmers having KCC for a further period of up to 6 months post-harvest on the same rate as available to crop loan.
