Jaipur, June 20 (IANS) Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday released the 23rd instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) from West Bengal, transferring more than Rs 18,880 crore directly to the accounts of over 9.44 crore farmers across the country.

Under this instalment, over Rs 1,320 crore was transferred to the accounts of more than 66 lakh farmers in Rajasthan, providing financial support and renewed momentum to the state’s agricultural sector.

Chief Minister Bhajan Lal Sharma joined the Prime Minister’s programme through video conferencing from the Town Hall in Sumerpur, Pali district, and listened to his address.

Speaking at the state-level event, the Chief Minister said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, farmers across the country are rapidly progressing towards self-reliance and prosperity.

He noted that the PM-Kisan scheme has emerged as a strong pillar of financial security and stability for farmers.

The Chief Minister stated that since the launch of the PM-Kisan scheme in 2019, more than Rs 4.46 lakh crore has been transferred directly to farmers’ bank accounts nationwide.

He said that the instalment released during the Kharif sowing season would help farmers meet their agricultural input and cultivation requirements.

He further highlighted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi has established a transparent governance system through the Jan Dhan-Aadhaar-Mobile (JAM) framework, ensuring the direct transfer of benefits to beneficiaries.

This system has significantly reduced leakages and corruption while ensuring timely assistance to farmers without the involvement of intermediaries.

The Chief Minister said that over the past 12 years, the Central government has implemented several landmark initiatives for the welfare of farmers, covering the entire agricultural value chain — from seed procurement to market access.

Schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, PM-KUSUM Yojana, Soil Health Card Scheme, Kisan Credit Card, e-NAM and Namo Drone Didi have provided a new direction to the agricultural sector.

He noted that the Union government’s commitment to agriculture is reflected in the nearly six-fold increase in the agricultural budget, which has now crossed Rs 1.30 lakh crore.

The Rajasthan government has also enhanced the PM-Kisan assistance from Rs 6,000 to Rs 9,000 annually, providing additional financial support to lakhs of farmers in the state.

The Chief Minister informed that farmers in 26 districts of Rajasthan are now receiving electricity supply during daytime hours.

He added that Rajasthan has emerged as a leading state in the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, with over 2.19 crore insurance policies issued and claim settlements exceeding Rs 6,500 crore paid to farmers.

He further stated that loans worth Rs 709 crore have been sanctioned to more than 94,000 livestock-rearing families under the Gopal Credit Card Yojana.

More than 20 lakh animals have been registered under the Mangla Pashu Bima Yojana.

Additionally, wheat farmers are being provided a bonus of Rs 150 per quintal on government procurement.

Animal Husbandry and Dairy Minister Joraram Kumawat said that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the vision of a developed and self-reliant India is steadily becoming a reality.

He noted that the double-engine government is implementing innovative schemes for the empowerment of farmers, women and youth while ensuring that the benefits of welfare programmes reach the last person in society.

Earlier, Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma visited the Urban Service Camp organised in Sumerpur.

He inspected stalls set up by various departments, reviewed information related to government schemes and interacted with citizens to obtain feedback on the implementation and impact of welfare programmes.

On the occasion, the Chief Minister also distributed financial assistance cheques to beneficiaries of the PM SVANidhi Scheme.

The programme was attended by Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Cooperatives and Civil Aviation Gautam Kumar, Minister of State (Independent Charge) for Urban Development and Local Self-Government Jhabar Singh Kharra, Member of Parliament Madan Rathore, MLAs Pushpendra Singh, Shobha Chauhan and Kesaram Choudhary, along with public representatives, government officials and a large number of farmers.

–IANS

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