PM Modi rolls out over Rs 35,000 crore agri schemes, urges farmers to look at global markets

Urging farmers to play a major role to build a developed India, he said, “After independence, you made India self-sufficient in food production. On the one hand, we must be self-reliant, and on the other, we must also produce for the global market… focus on crops that dominate global markets.”

During the event, which coincided with the birth anniversary of Bharat Ratna Lok Nayak Jayaprakash Narayan, Modi targeted the previous governments for neglecting agriculture, saying, “It’s crucial that agriculture continues to receive government support as times change. Unfortunately, previous governments abandoned agriculture and left it to its own conditions… For 21st-century India to achieve rapid development, reforms in our agricultural system were essential. This began in 2014. We reversed the previous governments’ careless approach to agriculture, implementing countless reforms and improvements for farmers — from seeds to markets. The results are evident today.” He also highlighted the jump in agricultural production over the last 10 years.

Contrasting the performances of the UPA government with the NDA’s, Modi said, “Congress government provided a fertilizer subsidy of `5 lakh crore in its 10 years… Our government has provided fertilizer subsidies of more than `13 lakh crore over last 10 years.”

“The BJP-NDA government has deposited the same amount of money into farmers’ bank accounts under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi, the amount Congress government used to spend on agriculture in a year. So far, `3.75 lakh crore has been sent directly to your bank accounts under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi,” he said.

Both the agri schemes were announced in the Union Budget 2025-26 and approved by the Union Cabinet recently.

The PMDDKY is aimed at developing 100 agricultural districts selected based on 3 factors — low productivity, moderate crop intensity, below-average access to credit. While the PMDDKY does not have a separate budget, its outlay of `24,000 crore will come from convergence of various schemes.

Modi called the pulses mission, which has an outlay of `11,440 crore, “a campaign to empower our future generations”. Cleared by the Union Cabinet on October 1 to be implemented from 2025-26 to 2030-31, it aims at expanding the area under pulses to 310 lakh hectares, increase production to 350 lakh tonnes, and raise yield to 1130 kg/ha by 2030-31.

Referring to the recent slash in GST rates, Modi said the aim is to bring down expenses of farmers and animal husbandries to facilitate higher profits.

Pointing to the plight of farmers when Congress was in power, he said, “Just look at tractors, Congress government used to charge a tax of `70,000 per tractor. After the new GST reforms, the same tractor has become cheaper by nearly `40,000.”

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan thanked the PM for the GST relief and hike in MSP for Rabi crops. Chouhan said PMDDKY will help in “upliftment” of districts selected as part of the programme.

Union Animal Husbandry Minister Rajiv Ranjan Singh ‘Lalan’ said, “The livestock sector has recorded 63% growth due to your (PM’s) efforts in last 10 years and India has become number one in milk production. The government has identified nine states, which will be made foot-and-mouth disease free in the coming months.”