Page 2 - Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Agri scientists to visit farms for better rabi crop in October: Chouhan

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday said agricultural scientists will visit farm fields between October 3 and 18 to ensure a good rabi (winter) crop this year while reiterating the government's commitment to protecting farmers' interests. Speaking during an interaction with farmers, who were special guests for Independence Day celebrations here, Chouhan emphasised that safeguarding the interests of farmers, dairy farmers, and fishermen remains the government's top priority, according to an official statement. The minister stressed that government initiatives should translate into tangible benefits for people rather than remain confined to files. "The government work should be visible in the lives of the people, not in files," he said. The dialogue session was also attended by Union Ministers of State for Agriculture Ramnath Thakur and Bhagirath Chaudhary, Agriculture Secretary Devesh Chaturvedi, Director General of ICAR ML Jat, and other senior officials.

States seek more urea; Centre says supply exceeds requirement this season

Next phase of 'Vikshit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan' to start on October 3; Chouhan urges states to act against misuse of urea and prepare accurate fertiliser demand maps

Will explore more, no compromise on farmers' interests: Shivraj on tariffs

US imposed 25 per cent reciprocal tariffs on Indian goods last month and increased it to 50 per cent over import of Russian oil

Shivraj Chouhan to transfer ₹3,200 cr crop insurance to 3 million farmers

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will on Monday digitally transfer a crop insurance claim amount of Rs 3,200 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) to 30 lakh farmer beneficiaries. The PMFBY claim amount will be transferred during an event organised for this purpose in Jhunjhunu, Rajasthan. Besides Chouhan, Rajasthan Chief Minister Bhajanlal Sharma, Union Minister of State for Agriculture Bhagirath Choudhary, and state agriculture minister Kirodi Lal Meena will attend the event. Of the total claim amount, Rs 1,156 crore will be transferred to farmers in Madhya Pradesh, Rs 1,121 crore to 7 lakh farmers in Rajasthan, Rs 150 crore to Chhattisgarh-based farmers, and Rs 773 crore to farmers in other states, according to an official statement. The Union agriculture minister stated that the Centre has implemented a new simplified claim settlement system in the interest of farmers, wherein claims can be paid proportionately based only on the central subsidy with

Shivraj Chouhan echoes PM's call, urges citizens to use indigenous products

Prime Minister Narendra Modi had on Saturday, during the disbursement of the 20th instalment of the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi in Varanasi, urged the nation to buy indigenous products

Farmers' welfare top priority under PM Modi's leadership: Shivraj Chouhan

Chouhan said that with the help of the Direct Benefit Transfer scheme, the government is ensuring that the assistance reaches directly into the accounts of the farmers

Govt will safeguard farmers' interests in trade talks with US: Chouhan

The government will protect the interest of farmers in trade negotiations with the US, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Friday. "We have said clearly the country's interest is top priority. Farmers' interest will be protected," Chouhan told reporters after inaugurating the Meghalaya Pineapple Festival. The agriculture and dairy sector will be protected. "We keep in mind the country's interest while taking any decisions," he noted. US President Donald Trump on Wednesday announced the imposition of a 25 per cent tariff on all goods coming from India starting August 1, plus an unspecified penalty for buying Russian crude oil and military equipment. New Delhi has never opened the dairy sector in any of its earlier signed free trade pacts. The agri sector is politically sensitive for India, as about 700 million rural livelihoods are dependent on it. Lowering duties would also pose a risk to national food security. On Thursday, Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goy

Congress, Chidambaram speaking Pakistan's language: Shivraj Chouhan

Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday accused the Congress and its leader P Chidambaram of "speaking the same language" as used by Pakistan and claimed that the Opposition was "running away" from a discussion in Parliament on Operation Sindoor out of fear of being unmasked. Speaking to reporters inside the Parliament complex, he said when the government is ready to discuss the issue then why is the Opposition running away from it. The Lok Sabha was adjourned till 2 pm on Monday amid opposition protests on the revision of electoral rolls in Bihar, delaying the start of the discussion on Operation Sindoor. A political row erupted on Monday over Chidambaram's reported remarks that the terrorists behind the Pahalgam could have been "homegrown". "It was their demand only that a discussion should be held on Operation Sindoor. And, when the government is ready for discussion, why is it running away from it? The entire Opposition is not letting a discussion on terror and terrorism

Over ₹44 crore released under MGNREGS so far: Centre tells Lok Sabha

The Centre has released Rs 44,323 crore to states and union territories under the Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) so far, Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan informed the Lok Sabha on Tuesday. In a written reply, the minister gave the figures of disbursements of wages, material and admin components till July 17, 2025. According to the revelation, the amount disbursed is almost half of the total allocation of Rs 86,000 crore earmarked for the financial year 2025-26. In a written reply to a separate question, MoS Rural Development Kamlesh Paswan said the allocation included full pending wage liabilities and 50 per cent of Material Liabilities of the previous financial year. "Regarding budget allocation for Mahatma Gandhi NREGS it is submitted that, for the financial year 2024-25, budget allocation of Rs. 86,000 crore has been made, which was the highest ever allocation for the scheme at the Budget Estimate (BE) stage since inception. I

Govt aiming to take number of 'Lakhpati Didis' to 20 mn by Aug 15: Chouhan

Union Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday said 1.5 crore women have already become Lakhpati Didis in India and his ministry is aiming to take the figure to 2 crore by August 15. 'Lakhpati Didi' refers to a woman member of a Self-Help Group (SHG) who earns an income of Rs 1 lakh or more per year. Chouhan visited the Indian Council of Agricultural Research - Directorate of Groundnut Research in Junagadh town of Gujarat, where he reviewed its activities and interacted with farmers and Lakhpati Didis of SHGs, the Press Information Bureau (PIB) said in a release. In his address, Chouhan said Prime Minister Narendra Modi has taken a resolve to make every woman a Lakhpati Didi. "Why should any woman remain poor? This campaign is being run across India. Till now, 1.5 crore women have already become Lakhpati Didis and my department is constantly taking steps to make 2 crore women Lakhpati Didis by August 15," he said. In Junagadh, there are women ...

Chouhan writes to CMs on tagging nanofertilisers, crackdown on fakes

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has written to state CMs to end the forced tagging of nano-fertilisers with conventional products and take action against counterfeit fertilisers

Will talk to environment ministry on HtBt cotton issue, says Chouhan

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan says the agriculture ministry will discuss the illegal cultivation of HtBt cotton with the environment ministry, addressing concerns raised by farmers

India aims to double maize output to 86 mn tonne by 2047: Shivraj Chouhan

India can more than double its maize production to 86 million tonne by 2047 from the current 42.3 million tonne, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Monday, calling for development of high-yielding seed varieties with higher starch content. Speaking at the 11th maize summit organised by industry body FICCI, Chouhan said the world's fifth-largest maize producer needs to boost productivity without using genetically modified seeds. "We don't use genetically modified seeds, but we can still raise the productivity levels," Chouhan said. India's average maize productivity stands at 3.7 tonne per hectare, with some states like West Bengal and Bihar performing above the national average, but overall yields need to increase, he said. The Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) has developed 265 maize varieties, including 77 hybrids and 35 bio-fortified varieties, but more work is needed, according to the minister. "There is a need to increase starch level in maize. We

Farmers want DBT for schemes, AI based price forecasting tools from govt

On DBT, sources said the officials in the agriculture ministry feel that as of now, financial assistance for lots of schemes, such as farm mechanisation, goes directly into the bank account of farmers

Govt will tighten seed & pesticide laws, tackle stray animal issue: Chouhan

Agriculture minister says Centre will tighten seed and pesticide laws, launch tech tools for weather and crop monitoring, and ensure KVK scientists regularly visit farms

Agriculture minister ends campaign, promises continued talks with farmers

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Thursday concluded the 15-day 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan' at a Kisan Sammelan in Bardoli, Gujarat, emphasising that while the campaign was ending, the government's engagement with farmers would continue unabated. Speaking at the venue that holds historical significance as the site of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel's Bardoli Satyagraha against British tax policies in 1928, Chouhan drew parallels between past and present struggles for farmers' welfare. "I feel fortunate to be on this Karmabhoomi of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel. On this day, 12 June 1928, Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel had held a meeting for the Bardoli Satyagraha," he said. The campaign, designed to implement Prime Minister Narendra Modi's 'Lab to Land' vision, deployed 2,170 teams comprising 16,000 scientists who travelled village to village across the country. These teams engaged directly with farmers, providing research-based information tailored to local climatic conditions

Govt clears procurement of moong, groundnut under Price Support Scheme

The PSS comes into effect when market prices fall below the MSP, guaranteeing that farmers get a fair return for their crops

Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan: Chouhan will meet Delhi farmers tomorrow

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan will meet farmers from Delhi on Wednesday, as part of the 15-day nationwide Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan. The minister will visit Tigipur, Bakhtawarpur, and North Delhi in the afternoon to engage with farmers, and the interaction will take place through Kisan Chaupal, an official statement said. The representatives of Ujwa Krishi Vigyan Kendra and the Indian Agricultural Research Institute, Pusa, will participate in the event. The campaign, which began on May 29 in Odisha, will conclude on June 12. So far, Chouhan has interacted with farmers from 11 states. The objective of the outreach programme is to provide farmers with accurate information on the latest agricultural technologies, research, and government schemes, as well as address the concerns of the farming community. With the goal of increasing Kharif crop production, 16,000 scientists spread out in 2,170 teams are visiting villages to engage in a two-way communication process wit

Agriculture output rises 40% in 10 years, says Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Monday said agriculture production in the country increased by 40 per cent in the last 10 years and that the sector saw growth rate of 5.4 per cent in the fourth quarter of 2024-25 financial year. Chouhan, who attended events here as part of the Central government's 'Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan' , said even a one-two per cent growth in agriculture is considered big in the world. Monday (June 9) is a historic day as it marks the first anniversary of Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government in his third tenure, he said. The year has been full of achievements, he added. "If I see from the agriculture perspective, it is the impact of PM Modi's vision, policies and programmes that agriculture growth rate was 5.4 per cent in the fourth quarter," he told reporters. The country has set new records in the production of wheat, paddy, soya bean, groundnut and others and the storehouses for grain are full, he said. "In the last 10 years,

India will protect farmers' interest in US trade talks: Agri min Chouhan

India will prioritise protecting its farmers' interests while assessing potential gains and losses in the ongoing trade negotiations with the United States over agricultural market access, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said. "Our priority is to protect the interest of our farmers. India will not work closing its eyes. We will assess our gains and losses. Keeping that in mind, an agreement will be finalised," Chouhan told PTI in an interview. He was responding to a query on how India would safeguard farmers amid US pressure for greater market access for American agricultural and horticultural products. The negotiators are expected to agree on the framework for the broad contours of the first phase of the bilateral deal, expected to be signed by fall (September-October) 2025. "The discussions are ongoing between India and the US. One thing is clear, we will protect the interest of our farmers. When we talk about two nations, we need to see the overall trade," the ministe