Gandhinagar, June 20 (IANS) Gujarat Agriculture Minister Jitu Vaghani on Saturday said the state’s agricultural governance is characterised by transparency, large-scale financial support and continuous administrative responsiveness, including the Chief Minister’s urgent decision-making on farmer-related issues, even during late-night discussions.

Speaking at the state-level “PM Kisan Utsav Diwas” programme in Gandhinagar, Vaghani said the 23rd instalment of the PM-Kisan scheme has directly benefited 51.28 lakh farmers in Gujarat with Rs 1,025 crore transferred into their bank accounts without intermediaries.

“The scheme, launched in 2019, has emerged as a key national support mechanism, benefiting more than 11 crore farmer families across India with over Rs 4.50 lakh crore disbursed so far,” he said.

He stated that under the scheme, eligible farmers receive Rs 6,000 annually in three instalments, which helps them manage essential agricultural expenses such as seeds, fertilisers and crop protection inputs.

“The Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system has ensured full transparency in implementation and eliminated middlemen,” he asserted.

Vaghani highlighted that Gujarat has implemented large-scale support measures for farmers, including agricultural mechanisation subsidies worth thousands of crores, a Rs 11,000 crore relief package during natural disasters last year, and procurement operations worth around Rs 15,000 crore at minimum support price (MSP).

“These measures have collectively provided approximately Rs 25,000 crore in support through procurement and direct assistance mechanisms,” he said.

He emphasised that the state government has expanded subsidies for modern farming equipment, including harvesters, rotavators, power tillers, cultivators, seed-cum-fertiliser drills and other machinery, allowing greater mechanisation and reducing dependence on manual labour.

He also referred to enhanced assistance for fencing schemes and storage infrastructure to protect crops and stabilise farmer incomes.

Regarding governance responsiveness, Vaghani said the Chief Minister remains continuously engaged in reviewing agricultural issues and ensures the prompt resolution of farmer concerns.

He said, “No issue related to farmers has ever been ignored,” noting that decisions are taken with urgency and sensitivity, including during late-night review discussions when required.

–IANS

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