Farmers Issues

Karnataka CM Siddaramaiah to meet PM Modi today, to discuss farmers' issue

Karnataka Chief Minister Siddaramaiah is scheduled to meet Prime Minister Narendra Modi in New Delhi on Monday. According to the CM's travel plan shared with the media, he is expected to land in Delhi at 1:30 pm. The meeting is likely to take place at 5 pm, according to official sources. Siddaramaiah is scheduled to depart for Bengaluru at 7 pm. During the meeting with the Prime Minister, the CM is likely to discuss the sugarcane farmers' issue and pending approvals for Mahadayi and Mekedatu water projects, official sources said. Siddaramaiah, on November 6, had written to the PM, seeking an appointment to discuss the sugarcane farmers' issue, amid their protest demanding a higher price of Rs 3,500 per tonne for their produce. In the letter, he had claimed that the root of the problem lies in central policy levers: the Fair and Remunerative Price (FRP) formula, the stagnating Minimum Support Price (MSP) for sugar, export curbs, and the under-utilised ethanol off take from sugar-b

PM Modi urges group farming to boost income, grow high-value crops

Prime Minister Narendra Modi has advocated for group farming, suggesting that small and marginal farmers pool their land parcels to grow high-value crops and enhance their income. On Saturday, the Prime Minister interacted with the farmers in a programme held at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) in the national capital. The interaction with farmers took place before he launched two major schemes in the agriculture sector with an outlay of Rs 35,440 crore. He launched the PM Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana with an outlay of Rs 24,000 crore and the Mission for Aatmanirbharta in Pulses with an outlay of Rs 11,440 crore. During the interaction, the Prime Minister asked farmers to adopt natural farming gradually and pragmatically. "He suggested a phased approach: testing natural farming on a part of the land while continuing traditional methods on the rest, thus building confidence over time," according to an official statement. Many farmers, hailing from different states, .

PM Kisan Yojana 20th instalment: How to check your name in beneficiary list

Over 9.8 crore farmers are expected to receive the 20th instalment of the PM-KISAN scheme by July 19-20. Here's how your payment is processed without delay

Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana committed to transforming lives of farmers: PM

The 'Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana' will boost farm production in districts that are lagging behind and also increase the income of farmers, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Wednesday, stressing that his government is committed to transforming the lives of farmers. The Union Cabinet earlier approved 'Prime Minister Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana' with an annual outlay of Rs 24,000 crore for six years to boost crop yields in 100 districts, benefiting about 1.7 crore farmers. The scheme will kick start from October, during the rabi (winter) season. In another Cabinet decision, the government enhanced the investment limit of state-owned NTPC to Rs 20,000 crore and also allowed public sector NLCIL to pump in Rs 7,000 crore in renewable energy projects. Modi said it is a boost to India's efforts to strengthen renewable energy capacity.

UP mango farmers warned of pest risk after rain, hailstorm hit state

The recent rainfall, hailstorm and gusty winds are likely to cause pest infestation in mango crops across parts of Uttar Pradesh, and farmers have been advised to take timely action, a top research body official said on Thursday. Uttar Pradesh contributes one-third to the country's total mango production of 24 million tonne. Dashehari, Langra, Chuasa, and Amrapali are key mango varieties grown in the state. According to T Damodaran, Director of ICAR-Central Institute for Subtropical Horticulture, while the overall mango yield may not be impacted in Uttar Pradesh, some pockets of mango-growing regions may see pest attacks due to humid weather conditions following the rainfall and hailstorm. "Fruit flies and thrips in mango crops can increase post rains due to humid conditions and moisture in the soil, which are favourable for these pests' development and activity," he said, adding that farmers need to manage these pests after rainfall. Damodaran explained that if timely control of t

Recent rain boosts crop output, no major damage reported: Agriculture secy

The recent rainfall following extreme heat conditions across parts of the country has not caused any damage to major crops and is expected to boost summer crop production prospects, Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi said Wednesday. Speaking about the weather pattern, Chaturvedi noted that sudden rainfall, hailstorms and gusty winds after extreme heat conditions are typically observed during this time of the year. However, he pointed to the "unpredictability and severity" of such weather conditions due to climate change. "No damage has been reported so far due to sudden rainfall. It will benefit summer (zaid) crops such as moong, maize and paddy," Chaturvedi told PTI. The Agriculture Secretary said that hailstorms and gusty winds in parts of Uttar Pradesh and Bihar might have caused ripened mango and litchi fruits to fall. "The state governments are yet to assess it and report to the ministry," he added. On the upcoming kharif season, Chaturvedi said sowing preparation for p

Indian farmers complete wheat harvest near Pak border amid tensions

Indian farmers have completed wheat harvesting in areas adjoining the Pakistan border in the key growing states of Punjab and Rajasthan, government officials said on Thursday. "Wheat crop has been harvested by now," Food Secretary Sanjeev Chopra said at a press conference when asked about the status of harvesting near the India-Pakistan border, which spans approximately 3,310 kilometres across Gujarat, Rajasthan, Punjab, and Jammu and Kashmir. While no separate data on the total wheat quantity harvested from border areas is available, Agriculture Commissioner Praveen Kumar Singh noted that Punjab has a significant area under wheat cultivation near the border compared to other states. "Farmers have harvested the crop. The yield is better this time," Singh told PTI. In Rajasthan, wheat cultivation primarily occurs in the Ganganagar district near the border, along with Hanumangarh and Jaisalmer. A Rajasthan government official confirmed that "farmers have fully harvested their ...

Shivraj Chouhan urges Dallewal to end hunger strike, reaffirms May 4 talks

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday appealed to farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal to end his hunger strike, saying that Union ministers will meet representatives of farmers' organisations for talks on May 4 as previously scheduled. In a post on X, Chouhan said, "The ongoing dialogue between the representatives of the Government of India and the representatives of farmers' organizations regarding their demands is continuing. Farmer leader Shri Jagjit Singh Dallewal has now returned from hospital and we wish him a speedy recovery. We also request him to end his hunger strike and we will meet with the representatives of the farmers' organizations for talks at 11 am on May 4 as per the already decided date." Chouhan's appeal comes days after Dallewal, the convener of Samyukta Kisan Morcha (non-political), clarified that he has not ended his hunger strike, which has now continued for 139 days. Dallewal has been fasting to press for farmers' demands, including a

Dallewal, Pandher detained; Punjab Police evicts farmers from protest sites

Several farmer leaders including Sarwan Singh Pandher and Jagjit Singh Dallewal were detained in Mohali while returning from a meeting with a central delegation, as Punjab Police also began evicting protesting farmers from Shambhu and Khanauri border points which have been closed for more than a year. Farmer leader Guramneet Singh Mangat said the farmer leaders were detained in Mohali while they were headed to the Shambhu protest site after the meeting with the delegation led by Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Punjab Finance Minister Harpal Singh Cheema justified the eviction of farmers from the protest sites, saying industries and businesses have has been hit hard due to the prolonged closure of two highways -- "the lifelines of the state". "The AAP is committed to youths and generating employment. They will get jobs if the trade and industry functions smoothly," he said. There were signs from early in the day of impending police action at the two protest sites as

Best of BS Opinion: Policymaking must address real-life outcomes

Our editorials and columns today largely revolve around the role of policy decisions, both in government and the private sector, and how they affect the real world

Maharashtra farmer suicides worrying, govt needs a policy solution: Pawar

NCP (SP) president Sharad Pawar on Saturday expressed concerns about farmer suicides in Marathwada and Vidarbha and said the Centre should come up with a policy to help cultivators. Pawar's statement comes in the backdrop of the data released by the state relief and rehabilitation department that revealed that 2,635 farmers died by suicide in Maharashtra in 2024. "The information which has come from Marathwada and Vidarbha is worrying. We will collect accurate data from different locations. The Centre should prepare a policy to help farmers," he told reporters in Baramati. On speculations about NCP (SP) leader Jayant Patil crossing over to the Ajit Pawar-led party faction, the senior politician said Patil had already given his statement to the media. Patil, the state president of NCP (SP), had earlier said nothing about him was certain, sparking the buzz that he could quit the party. On Friday, Patil met the NCP (SP) chief at an event in Baramati and later said he was not upset an

Over 403K crop insurance claims rejected in Maharashtra: Manikrao Kokate

More than 4.30 lakh crop insurance applications under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) were rejected in Maharashtra during the Kharif 2024 season due to irregularities, the legislative council was told on Monday. State Agriculture Minister Manikrao Kokate stated in a written reply that the rejections were primarily due to discrepancies such as insurance on government-owned land, municipal land, areas exceeding actual landholdings, and non-eligible crops. "No financial loss has occurred to the government as no premiums were paid for these invalid claims," Kokate stated while responding to a question asked by BJP MLC Chitra Wagh. As many as 4,30,443 crop insurance applications under the PMFBY were rejected during the Kharif 2024 season. In comparison, 2,85,468 applications were rejected during the Kharif 2023 season, the minister stated. Kokate said the scrutiny process had flagged several irregularities including fraudulent geo-tagging of non-agricultural land as ...

SKM to hold 'dharnas' outside residences of Punjab AAP MLAs on Mar 10

The Samyukta Kisan Morcha (SKM) on Thursday announced that it will hold 'dharnas' outside the residences of AAP MLAs on March 10 in protest against the Punjab Police's action against farmers. A decision in this regard was taken by an emergency meeting held by the SKM in Ludhiana. The meeting came a day after the Punjab Police thwarted the farmers' attempt to go to Chandigarh on the SKM's call for a week-long dharna beginning Wednesday, as multiple checkpoints were set up across the state and security was stepped up at all entry points of the Union Territory (UT). The SKM, a conglomerate of more than 30 farmer bodies, had given the call for the sit-in at Chandigarh in support of the farmers' various demands, including purchase of six crops at minimum support price (MSP) by the state government. In the meeting held in Ludhiana on Thursday, the SKM leaders strongly condemned the Punjab Police's action against the farmers. Bharti Kisan Union (Lakhowal) general secretary Harinder Singh

Trade shutdown in Rajasthan deferred to March 23 by commodity traders

On February 22, crops, mainly wheat and mustard, in some regions, including Alwar, Bharatpur and Churu, were damaged due to rains and hailstorm

Farmers' protest: SC to hear petitions related to the case after March 19

The Supreme Court on Friday deferred the hearing over the farmers' protest observing two rounds of talks took place between the Centre and the agitating farmers, who have raised several demands, including the legal guarantee for minimum support price for crops. A bench of Justices Surya Kant and N Kotiswar Singh said a third round of talks was scheduled on March 19. The bench therefore posted the matter, including petitions seeking contempt action against Punjab government officials over providing medical aid to farmer leader Jagjit Singh Dallewal, post March 19. Punjab advocate general Gurminder Singh said two ministers of the state had participated in the meeting. The bench appreciated the work of the apex court-appointed high-powered committee for providing a platform to the agitating farmers to raise grievances and took on record its interim report. The bench, which has kept the report with itself for time being, fixed an honorarium for chairman of the committee Justice (retd)

Operative Kisan Credit Card loans hit Rs 10 trn, benefiting 77.2 mn farmers

The finance ministry on Tuesday said the amount under operative Kisan Credit Card (KCC) accounts has crossed Rs 10 lakh crore, benefiting 7.72 crore farmers as of December 31, 2024. The operative KCC amount stood at Rs 4.26 lakh crore in March 2014. This indicates a significant increase in the quantum of affordable working capital loans provided to farmers for agriculture and allied activities, the finance ministry said in a statement. It is a reflection of credit deepening in agriculture and reduced dependency on non-institutional credit, the ministry added. KCC is a banking product that provides farmers with timely and affordable credit for purchasing agricultural inputs such as seeds, fertilisers, and pesticides, as well as for meeting cash requirements related to crop production and allied activities. In 2019, the KCC scheme was extended to cover the working capital requirements of allied activities like animal husbandry, dairy and fisheries. The government, under the Modifie

PM to release 19th instalment of PM-KISAN; Rs 22,000 cr for 9.8 cr farmers

Prime Minister Narendra Modi will on Monday release the 19th instalment of PM-KISAN scheme, transferring around Rs 22,000 crore directly to bank accounts of 9.8 crore farmers, as part of the government's effort to enhance income of the farming community. Under this scheme, each beneficiary gets an annual benefit of Rs 6,000, in three equal installments of Rs 2,000 every four months. Addressing a press conference here, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday said, "Prime Minister will release the 19th instalment of PM-KISAN on February 24 at a function in Bhagalpur, Bihar. The amount will be directly credited to bank accounts of eligible farmers." He said a total amount of Rs 22,000 crore will be disbursed to 9.8 crore farmers. Chouhan said the number of beneficiaries has increased from 9.6 crore in the 18th instalment. The minister said that the government has disbursed total Rs 3.46 lakh crore so far under Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) and the nu

Govt mulling ways to curb distress sale of farm produce: Shivraj Chouhan

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said the government is working out measures to ensure that farmers do not have to sell their produces, especially fruits and vegetables, at throwaway prices. Speaking after inaugurating the 'Pusa Krishi Vigyan Mela' 2025 -- being held in the national capital from February 22-24 -- he emphasised the need to take new seeds varieties and farm technologies from labs to agriculture filed at the earliest. Chouhan said the government is holding discussions with farmers directly as well as through their organisations to understand the problems and then making schemes to address the issues. "Jahan-Jahan takleefein dekh rahe hain, hum yojana bana rahe hain (wherever we are seeing problems, we are making schemes to address those)", the minister said, listing out steps taken by the government in the last few years to protect the interest of farmers. Chouhan said the government has removed exports restrictions on rice and onions while

Centre should resolve farmers' issues in Feb 14 meeting: Pandher

Farmer leader Sarwan Singh Pandher on Thursday said that the Centre should resolve the farmers' issues in the upcoming meeting that comes after a year-long protest over legal guarantee to MSP for crops, among other things. The Centre will hold a meeting with Punjab's protesting farmers on February 14 in Chandigarh to discuss their demands, thus ending a stalemate over the resumption of a dialogue with the agitators, who have been demanding a legal guarantee on the MSP for crops. Pandher spoke to the reporters at the Shambhu border point, where a Kisan Mahapanchayat was held to mark the completion of one year of the ongoing agitation. He said that they will make efforts to move the Centre towards resolving the farmers' issues in the meeting. Farmer leader Abhimanyu Kohar said that Jagjit Singh Dallewal, who is on an indefinite fast, will make his best efforts to participate in the meeting to put forth farmers' demands. He said that Dallewal will try to participate in the meeting bu

USDA freezes farmer funding for some programmes, conservation contracts

The impact has been immediate and wide-ranging, from cash assistance for ranchers to fix cattle watering systems to help for corn growers wanting to plant cover crops that curb wind erosion