PM Kisan Nidhi / 9 crore farmers will get a gift! PM Kisan's money may be doubled

PM Kisan Nidhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman held an important meeting with farmers and representatives of the agriculture sector on Saturday as part of the preparations for the upcoming budget. In this discussion, the farmers put forward demands from the government like cheap and long-term loans, low tax, and doubling the amount received under the PM-Kisan Income Support Scheme.

If the government increases the amount of PM-Kisan from Rs 6,000 to Rs 12,000 in the budget, it will directly benefit more than 9 crore farmers. It is worth noting that in October 2023, Rs 20,000 crore was transferred to the accounts of 9.4 crore farmers under the 18th installment.

Detailed discussion in the meeting

The challenges of the agriculture sector and their possible strategies were discussed in this meeting which lasted for two hours. Issues like financial relief, market reforms, and strategic investment were discussed in depth. Ajay Veer Jakhar, Chairman of Bharat Krishak Samaj, emphasized the need for targeted interventions to increase the productivity and welfare of farmers.

Key demands of farmers

Cheaper agricultural loans:

Farmers demanded reduction in interest rate on agricultural loans to 1 per cent.

Hike in PM-Kisan scheme:

Farmers requested to increase the annual installment of PM-Kisan from Rs 6,000 to Rs 12,000.

GST exemption:

Stakeholders demanded complete exemption from GST on agricultural machinery, fertilizers, seeds, and medicines.

Tax reduction on pesticides:

PHD Chambers of Commerce and Industry suggested reduction of GST on pesticides from 18 per cent to 5 per cent.

Targeted investment:

Ajay Vir Jakhar presented a strategy of annual investment of Rs 1,000 crore for crops like gram, soybean and mustard to increase national agricultural productivity.

Demand for comprehensive review on MSP

Bhartiya Kisan Union (BKU) spokesperson Dharmendra Malik urged for reform in the Minimum Support Price (MSP) system. He said that land rent, agricultural wages, and post-harvest expenses should be included in the calculation of MSP.

Government's stand

Minister of State for Finance Pankaj Chaudhary and senior officials of the Finance and Agriculture Ministries were also present in the meeting. He assured the farmers to seriously consider their demands. Experts believe that in the upcoming budget, the government can make some big announcements for the farmers, in which PM-Kisan Yojana and MSP reforms can be prominent.

Possible steps for the government and farmers

The agriculture sector is the backbone of the Indian economy. It is clear from this meeting that the government is in the direction of taking some concrete steps for the betterment of farmers in Budget 2024-25. If the demands of the farmers are met, it will not only strengthen their economic condition, but it can also take the agricultural sector of the country to new heights.

Farmers now hope that this budget will bring positive changes in their lives.