Reported by: Mrinal Banik
Agartala: Tripura Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Ratan Lal Nath on Friday said Prime Minister Narendra Modi had taken several initiatives to empower farmers and make them self-reliant, citing the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme as one of the key measures.
Speaking at a state-level programme organised at Prajna Bhawan to mark the release of the scheme’s 24th installment, Nath said Rs 44.24 crore would be transferred directly to the bank accounts of 2,21,220 eligible farmers in Tripura.
He said eligible farmers receive Rs 6,000 annually under the scheme in three installments of Rs 2,000 each.
Around 9.5 crore farmers across the country received a total of Rs 18,680 crore under the 24th instalment, the minister said, adding that approximately 11 crore farmers had benefited from the scheme since its launch.
In Tripura, around 2.85 lakh farmers have been covered under the scheme, with cumulative disbursements of Rs 1,065 crore so far, Nath said.
Giving a district-wise account of the cumulative benefits, he said North Tripura topped the list, with farmers receiving Rs 194.76 crore. Gomati ranked second with Rs 175.47 crore, followed by Dhalai with Rs 169.44 crore.
Nath said the latest instalment was being released after 23 previous instalments. The Prime Minister transferred the funds to beneficiaries across the country by pressing a button at a programme held in Gujarat, he added.
The minister said around 300 farmers attended the state-level programme in Agartala, including 30-40 women. Farmers belonging to different communities, including Scheduled Tribes, Scheduled Castes and Other Backward Classes, were also present, he said.
Nath said the government wanted farmers to play a leading role in achieving the country’s development goals and making India a developed nation by 2047.
He said the Prime Minister had been emphasising the importance of farmers, whom he described as the country’s food providers, and encouraging them to become self-reliant.
“India is becoming self-sufficient in various fields of agriculture. The country is moving forward in this direction,” Nath said.
He added that the government expected farmers to contribute to the national goal of making India a developed country by 2047 and strengthening its position globally.
The minister said he attended the programme along with farmers and listened to the Prime Minister’s address, expressing hope that the agricultural sector would continue to progress.