Context:
National Farmers’ Day (Kisan Divas), observed on 23rd December, commemorates the birth anniversary of Shri Chaudhary Charan Singh.
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Shri Chaudhary Charan Singh, India’s fifth Prime Minister who served the country from 1979 to 1980, and was a staunch advocate for farmers’ welfare.
- This day celebrates his invaluable contributions and highlights his pivotal role in farming reforms and nation-building.
- He was given the Bharat Ratna Award (Posthumously) in 2024.
This year, the theme for the National Farmers’ Day 2024 is “Empowering ‘Annadatas’ for a Prosperous Nation.”
The government’s budget for the Department of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare has increased from ₹21,933.50 crore in 2013-14 to a remarkable ₹1,22,528.77 crore in 2024-25.
- This fivefold increase underscores the nation’s commitment to addressing challenges faced by farmers and fostering sustainable agricultural growth.
Farmers’ Role in Nation-Building
- Agriculture is the cornerstone of India’s economy, employing nearly half of the nation’s population and contributing 17.7% to the Gross Value Added (GVA) in FY 2023-24.
- With over 54.8% of India’s land used for agriculture, farmers are the driving force behind food security and rural development.
- In 2023-24, India achieved a record foodgrain production of 332.2 million tonnes, surpassing the previous year’s output showing the resilience and unwavering dedication of Indian farmers.
Key Government Initiatives for Farmers’ Welfare
PM-KISAN Scheme, 2018:
- PM Kisan is a Central Sector scheme with 100% funding from the Government of India.
- Under the scheme an income support of 6,000/- per year in three equal instalments will be provided to all land-holding farmer families.
Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS), 2016:
- This scheme provides concessional short-term Agri-loans with a 7% interest rate on loans up to 3 lakh and an additional 3% subvention for timely repayment, reducing the effective rate to 4%.
Kisan Credit Card, 1998:
- This scheme provides farmers with easy access to agriculture inputs and cash for production needs.
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, 2020:
- Launched under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Package, it is aimed at providing support for sustainable agriculture by financing infrastructure projects across India.
Other Recent Initiatives
- Namo Drone Didi: Approved for 2024-26, this scheme empowers 15,000 Women SHGs by providing drones for agricultural services such as fertiliser and pesticide application.
- Kisan Kavach: Launched on December 17, 2024, this is India’s first anti-pesticide bodysuit, designed to protect farmers from harmful pesticide exposure.
- Clean Plant Programme: Approved on August 9, 2024, it provides disease-free planting materials to improve the productivity and quality of horticultural crops.
- Digital Agriculture Mission: Approved on September 2, 2024, this initiative supports digital agriculture through public infrastructure and technologies like the Digital General Crop Estimation Survey.
- NMEO-Oilseeds: Approved on October 3, 2024, this mission focuses on boosting domestic oilseed production and achieving self-reliance in edible oils.
- National Mission on Natural Farming: Approved on November 25, 2024, this initiative promotes chemical-free, sustainable farming practices across the country.