New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Monday inaugurated the two-day PM Kisan Samman Sammelan 2022 at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute in New Delhi.
Addressing the event, PM Modi said that the farmers' rights were trampled and that they won't forget the situation that existed before 2014.
He mentioned that his government opened plants for urea production as the previous government relied on imports to fulfill their own interests, a veiled attack on the Congress-led UPA government.
"Under PM Kisan the 12th installment worth Rs 16,000 crores has been sent to farmers across India. Under 'One nation one fertiliser', farmers will be provided with cheaper and good quality fertiliser": PM Modi said, as quoted by news agency ANI.
The Prime Minister launched Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana — One Nation One fertiliser during the event. Speaking about the initiative, he said farmers will get cheap and quality crop nutrients under 'One nation, One fertiliser' scheme launched today.
PM Modi also launched Bharat urea bags, which will assist companies in marketing fertilisers under the single brand name 'Bharat'.
India will have just one brand, uniform quality of urea under the brand name Bharat in 'One nation, One fertiliser', he emphasised as he mentioned that different brands confused the farmers in terms of the quality of urea that they were purchasing.
"There's a major transformation in the production technology and quality of fertilisers. This will boost the production of agri-products and address all crop-related problems. India will soon emerge as a hub for efficient production of agri-products globally," PM Modi said.
He also emphasised the Union government's push for nano urea saying that its introduction aimed to ease the farm process. One bottle of nano urea can replace a sackful of urea, PM Modi said.
According to an official release, more than 13,500 farmers from across the country, as well as approximately 1,500 agro entrepreneurs, are attending the event.
The Prime Minister also mentioned the ongoing Russia-Ukraine War which caused concerns about food security in the world.
"We spend most buying edible oil, fertiliser and crude oil from other countries. Whenever there's any crisis in foreign countries, it affects us too. The first COVID came, then war (Russia-Ukraine) began. Those countries from which we fulfill most of our needs are indulged in war": PM Modi said, as quoted by ANI.
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PM Modi Inaugurates 600 PM Kisan Samruddhi Kendras, Releases Rs 16,000 Cr Under PM-Kisan
The Prime Minister inaugurated 600 Pradan Mantri Kisan Samruddhi Kendras (PMKSK) under the Ministry of Chemicals and fertilisers. During the event, he also released the 12th installment amount of Rs 16,000 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi through a direct benefit transfer.
"Under PM-Kisan, the 12th installment worth Rs 16,000 crores has been sent to farmers across India," PM Modi said as he emphasised how the Centre was making the aid hassle-free with direct transfer into the farmers' bank accounts.
Under the scheme, eligible farmer families are provided a benefit of Rs. 6,000 per year in three equal installments of Rs. 2,000 each. So far, eligible farmer families have received benefits of more than Rs. 2 lakh crore under PM-KISAN, according to the Prime Minister's Office.
"22 crore soil health card, over 1,700 varieties of seeds provided to farmers will help increase crop productivity," he said.
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samruddhi Kendras & AgriStartup Conclave
The Prime Minister's Officie (PMO) stated that the Pradhan Mantri Bhartiya Jan Urvarak Pariyojana scheme will gradually convert the country's fertiliser retail shops into PMKSK. PMKSK will be converted into over 3.3 lakh retail fertiliser shops.
It stated that PMKSK will cater to a wide range of farmer needs and will provide agri-inputs (fertilisers, seeds, implements); testing facilities for soil, seeds, and fertilisers; raise farmer awareness; provide information on various government schemes, and ensure regular capacity building of retailers at block/district level outlets.
He kicked off the AgriStartup Conclave and Exhibition wherein around 300 startups will present their innovations in precision farming, post-harvest, and value-added solutions, allied agriculture, waste to wealth, mechanisation for small farmers, supply chain management, and agri-logistics, among other areas.
The platform would allow startups to interact with farmers, farmer-producer organisations (FPOs), agri-experts, corporations, and other stakeholders. In technical sessions, startups will share their experiences and interact with other stakeholders.
During the event, the Prime Minister also launched 'Indian Edge,' an e-magazine on fertiliser. It will include information on domestic and international fertiliser scenarios, such as recent developments, price trend analysis, availability and consumption, and farmer success stories, among other things.