PM transfers Rs 19,500-cr to farmers under PM-KISAN, announces mission to make India self-sufficient in edible oils

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday virtually transferred about Rs 19,500 crore to over 9.75 crore beneficiaries farmers under the government’s PM-KISAN scheme. With this, the government has so far transferred nine installments amounting to around Rs 1.57 lakh crore to farmer families under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme. After the release of the amount, the Prime Minister interacted with beneficiaries of this scheme from across the country.

• An annual financial benefit of Rs 6,000 is provided to eligible beneficiary farmer families, payable in three equal four-monthly installments of Rs 2,000 each, under the PM-KISAN scheme.
• The scheme was announced in February 2019 in the Budget. The first installment was for December 2018-March 2019 period. The fund is transferred directly to the bank accounts of the beneficiaries.
• Addressing the virtual event in the presence of the Prime Minister, Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar said that before the ninth installment, the central government had disbursed about Rs 1.37 lakh crore to around 11 crore beneficiaries under the scheme.
• The government has linked 2.28 crore PM-KISAN beneficiaries with the Kisan Credit Card scheme, under which they have been able to avail loans up to Rs 2.32 lakh crore so far.
• He also said the farmers have worked hard despite the challenges of COVID-19 and ensured bumper production last year. Better output is expected in the coming days due to continued farmers’ efforts.
• Expressing concern over the shortage of edible oils and pulses, Tomar said the government is focusing on boosting domestic production through several schemes so that the country’s dependence on imports
• Union Ministers of State for Agriculture Kailash Choudhary and Shobha Karandlaje, as well as Agriculture Secretary Sanjay Aggarwal were among state ministers and officials present in the event.

PM announces mission to make India self-sufficient in edible oils The prime minister on Monday also announced a National Edible Oil Mission-Oil Palm (NMEO-OP) to make India self-sufficient in cooking oils, including palm oil, as he stressed on reducing the dependence on imports. Addressing a virtual event on the PM-Kisan scheme, he said over Rs 11,000 crore will be invested in the edible oil ecosystem..

• On the occasion, Modi said while India has become self-sufficient or Aatamnirbhar in the production of rice, wheat, and sugar, but it was not enough as the country is dependent on huge imports of edible oils.
• Modi stressed India must become self-reliant in edible oil too as he announced NMEO-OP.
• The prime minister said the government will ensure that farmers get all facilities, from quality seeds to technology to promote farming to produce palm oil and other oil seeds.
• It is to be noted here that India is dependent on imports of edible oil to meet domestic demand. Of the total imports, palm oil constitutes about 55 percent.
• The country spent thousands of crores of rupees on edible oil imports, Modi said and added that this money rather should go to farmers.
• The Prime Minister said north-eastern states and Andaman and the Nicobar Islands could be promoted for palm farming.