PM Modi First Decision: A day after taking charge as Prime Minister in his third term, Narendra Modi on Monday signed his first file authorising the release of 17th installment of the 'PM Kisan Nidhi' funds amounting to nearly Rs 20,000 crore, which will benefit around 9.3 crore farmers.
After signing on to the release of funds, Modi said, “Ours is a government fully committed to 'kisan kalyan' (farmers' welfare). It is, therefore, fitting that the first file signed on taking charge is related to it. We want to keep working even more for farmers and the agriculture sector in the times to come."
The decision highlights the government's commitment to farmers' welfare following the ruling National Democratic Alliance's poll win, albeit with some setback, especially in parts of rural India. Modi was sworn in as prime minister on Sunday for a record-equalling third term, heading a 72-member Union Council of Ministers.
Meanwhile, the first meeting of the third Narendra Modi cabinet is likely to be held on Monday evening at the Prime Minister's Lok Kalyan Marg residence, the sources said. The newly inducted ministers would meet at Modi's residence at 5 pm. BJP president J P Nadda also hosted a dinner for those inducted in the new Modi government's council of ministers, the sources said.
The Bharatiya Janata Party-led NDA came to power for a third term after it registered its win on 293 of the 543 seats. The Congress, a part of the opposition bloc INDIA, managed to win 99 seats in the polls.