Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on Tuesday lauded Prime Minister Narendra Modi for empowering farmers nationwide, catalyzing a significant improvement in their livelihoods. "Today, under the PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, the Prime Minister disbursed Rs 335 crore to approximately 16 lakh farmers in Haryana through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT),” he added.

Expressing gratitude to the Prime Minister for this initiative, the chief minister said, “Including today's 17th installment, a total of Rs 5,693 crore has now been transferred to the bank accounts of farmers in the state, including Rs 5,358 crore from previous installments.”

The Chief Minister watched "PM Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana" programme organized by Prime Minister Narendra Modi in Varanasi live from Karnal.

Addressing the farmers on this occasion, he said that today is a momentous day for the entire nation. Prime Minister has extended his blessings to farmers by transferring the 17th installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi into the accounts of 9.26 crore farmers across the country, amounting to Rs 20,000 crore. He also highlighted that the Prime Minister launched this scheme in the financial year 2018-19. It provides financial assistance of Rs 6,000 per year to eligible small and marginal farmer families, transferred directly into their accounts through DBT in three installments of Rs 2,000 each. 

He mentioned that in addition to the Central Government schemes, the Haryana Government has implemented several impactful initiatives for the benefit of farmers. The government stands alongside farmers at every stage, from 'seed to market'.

The Chief Minister said that foremost, high-quality seeds, fertilizers, and pesticides are subsidized for cultivation. Subsidies are also provided for agricultural machinery, from sowing to harvesting. In case of crop damage from natural disasters, there is a provision for compensation and crop insurance.

The Chief Minister highlighted that in July 2023, the state faced significant crop damage due to floods. At that time, we swiftly disbursed compensation amounting to Rs 130.88 crore to aid affected farmers. Over our tenure of 9.5 years, a total of Rs 12,750 crore has been allocated as compensation for crop losses due to natural disasters, whereas the previous government during its tenure of 10 years, had provided only Rs 1158 crore.

He further informed that under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, claims totaling Rs 8,100 crore have been disbursed to 28.99 lakh farmers since the Kharif season of 2016. This scheme stands out for its farmer-friendly approach compared to earlier crop insurance schemes, offering lower premiums.

He also mentioned that farmers who do not participate in the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana are eligible for compensation of up to Rs 15,000 per acre from the government in case their crops suffer damage due to any natural disaster. The Chief Minister said that Haryana is the only state in the country to purchase 14 crops at the minimum support price.

The Chief Minister also highlighted that we have ensured sufficient availability of crop loans for small farmers. Additionally, Pashu Kisan Credit Cards have been issued to meet the timely working capital needs of dairy and animal husbandry practitioners. So far, these cards have been distributed to 1.57 lakh animal keepers.