New Delhi, 18 June (H.S.): Prime Minister Narendra Modi will release the 23rd installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme from Tarakeswar in West Bengal on June 20. More than Rs 18,880 crore will be directly transferred to the bank accounts of over 9.44 crore farmers across the country, including more than 2.18 crore women farmers.
The programme is being organised by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare in collaboration with the Government of West Bengal. West Bengal Governor R.N. Ravi, Chief Minister Shubhendu Adhikari, several Union Ministers, and public representatives are expected to attend the event.
According to information released by the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare on Thursday, more than 45.35 lakh farmers in West Bengal will receive over Rs 907.21 crore under the latest installment. With this disbursement, the cumulative amount released under the PM-KISAN scheme in the state since 2019 will exceed Rs 15,055 crore.
During the event, the Prime Minister will also launch several major agricultural initiatives. These include the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), AgriStack under the Digital Agriculture Mission, the National Mission on Natural Farming, and the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana.
Under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, the government has set a target of providing crop insurance coverage to nearly 1.10 crore farmers in West Bengal during the 2026-27 financial year.
The ministry said that through AgriStack, farmers will have access to digital services such as fertiliser distribution, Kisan Credit Card facilities, Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), and Minimum Support Price (MSP) procurement through a unified digital platform.
Under the National Mission on Natural Farming, 346 natural farming clusters will be developed across West Bengal, benefiting an estimated 43,250 farmers. Additionally, under the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana, efforts will be made to strengthen agricultural development, irrigation infrastructure, and rural infrastructure in the districts of Purulia, Darjeeling, Alipurduar, and Jhargram.
To raise awareness among farmers, June 20 will also be observed as PM-KISAN Utsav Diwas across the country. Special programmes will be organised at Krishi Vigyan Kendras, agricultural markets, Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs), and Gram Panchayat levels, with around one crore farmers expected to participate nationwide.
---------------
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
