Agriculture Minister Chouhan shares expansive data on agrarian development during Question Hour

Shivraj Singh Chouhan, the Union Minister for Agriculture, Farmers Welfare, and Rural Development, shared an all-encompassing set of data points which highlighted the state of agriculture in the country during the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. The facts and figures shared by Chouhan highlighted that the concerted efforts to increase farmers’ income under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi are progressing steadily.

Chouhan stated that over the past decade, crop production has increased from 246.42 million tonnes to 353.96 million tonnes. The production of pulses rose from 16.38 million tonnes to 25.24 million tonnes, and production of oilseeds increased from 27.51 million tonnes to 42.61 million tonnes. Horticulture production also jumped from 280.70 million tonnes to 367.72 million tonnes. The agriculture minister also noted a significant increase in milk production in the country, entirely driven by farmers.

Chouhan assertively answered the hotly contested issue of farmers’ income in the lower house of the Parliament. Many farmers have more than doubled their incomes under the National Democratic Alliance (NDA) government, as he compared the previous United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government’s agriculture budget of ₹27,000 crore with the current allocation of ₹1.27 lakh crore. The PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi, which did not exist earlier, now benefits ten crore farmers, Chouhan said, adding that the central government is providing around ₹2 lakh crore in fertiliser subsidies annually.

The agriculture minister said that under the Modi government, institutional credit has also surged from ₹7 lakh crore during the UPA era to ₹25 lakh crore today. Regarding the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), he said the Centre has disbursed claims worth ₹1.83 lakh crore against a collected premium of ₹35,000 crore directly into farmers’ accounts.

To promote income growth, the government is subsidising mechanisation and providing drip and sprinkler systems under the ‘Per Drop More Crop’ initiative. Investments are being made in polyhouses and greenhouses, and efforts are underway to boost fruit and vegetable production and ensure fair procurement.

The former chief minister of Madhya Pradesh emphasised that to raise farmers’ income, the government decided to ensure a minimum of 50% profit margin over cost in Minimum Support Prices (MSP). Large-scale procurement is currently underway, and farmers are receiving compensation for crop losses. Subsidised fertilisers like urea and DAP (Diammonium Phosphate) are also being made widely available, the minister said.

Chouhan further highlighted that special schemes have been designed for small landholders and tenant farmers. The Centre has allowed owners to authorise tenant farmers to receive PMFBY benefits. Recently, 6.55 lakh tenant and sharecropping farmers were covered under the scheme, benefiting a total of over 41.62 lakh farmers.

The Minister also informed the Lok Sabha members in attendance that the PM-AASHA scheme has been launched to procure pulses and oilseeds like tur, masoor, and urad at 100% MSP. Measures are in place to ensure that intermediaries do not find an opportunity to exploit farmers, and that MSP rates are delivered effectively.

He stressed that MSPs have not only doubled, but procurement volumes have also risen significantly. Under the previous government, only six lakh metric tonnes of pulses were procured in ten years, whereas under the current government, this figure has soared to 1.82 crore metric tonnes.

In his concluding remarks, Chouhan said that PM Modi is a well-wisher of the agrarian community and has restructured the PMFBY to be more farmer-friendly. If an insurance company fails to pay the due claim within 21 days of the deadline, 12% interest will be charged and credited directly to the farmer’s account. The same 12% interest applies if a state government delays its share of the premium.