PM Modi Cites ₹50 Lakh Crore Benefit for Farmers Through Key Government Schemes

Prime Minister Narendra Modi stated on Friday that Indian farmers have collectively received or saved over ₹50 lakh crore over the past several years through a combination of direct financial support, fertiliser subsidies, minimum support prices, and crop insurance initiatives.

Speaking at a public rally in Bhildi, Gujarat, the Prime Minister highlighted five major government programmes that he said contributed to this financial impact and helped enhance cultivators' incomes.

Key Government Schemes and Financial Details

According to the Prime Minister's remarks, the reported financial benefits and expenditures across various initiatives include:

• PM-Kisan Scheme: Approximately ₹4.5 lakh crore has been transferred directly into the bank accounts of small farmers since the programme's inception in 2019. The 24th instalment, disbursed recently, transferred over ₹18,000 crore to nearly 10 crore farmers.
• Fertiliser Subsidies: The government reportedly spent around ₹16 lakh crore to shield cultivators from rising global fertiliser prices.
• Minimum Support Price (MSP): Wheat and paddy farmers have received ₹24 lakh crore through the MSP mechanism over the past 12 years, as reported.
• Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana: Crop insurance claims exceeding ₹2 lakh crore have been disbursed to farmers over the past decade.
• PM-KUSUM Scheme: Nearly 12 lakh solar-powered irrigation pumps have been installed to reduce dependence on diesel, lower irrigation costs, and support electricity generation.

Event Highlights and Local Interactions

Apart from policy announcements, the rally featured notable local interactions:

• Charpai Sabha: Organisers replaced standard chairs with traditional *charpais* for the audience, which the Prime Minister noted as potentially one of the largest gatherings of its kind he has addressed.
• Artwork Acceptance: A 21-year-old college student from Banaskantha, Seema Parmar, caught the Prime Minister's attention with a portrait she sketched of him. Modi directed security personnel to collect the artwork and publicly appreciated her effort.

Practical Implications and Verification

Citizens and stakeholders interested in verifying these figures can consult official Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare portals, press releases from the Press Information Bureau (PIB), and specific scheme dashboards such as the PM-Kisan and PM-KUSUM official websites for scheme-wise disbursement reports and beneficiary statistics.