Prime Minister Narendra Modi today released the eighth installment of minimum financial benefit under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme from New Delhi virtually. Under this installment, about Rs. 20,000 crore was disbursed to more than 9.5 crore farmer families.After releasing the fund, Prime Minister Modi interacted with farmer-beneficiaries . Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar was also present on the occasion. Chief Minister Jai Ram Thakur also attended the virtual function at Shimla today.He expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister for releasing the 8th installment of Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme.While reviewing the progress under this Scheme in the State, he said that the scheme was launched by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi on 24th February, 2019 to provide income support of Rs. 6,000 per year in three equal installments of Rs. 2000 to small and marginal farmers.
Jai Ram Thakur said that agriculture in the State contributes about 13.62 percent of the total State Gross Domestic Product He said that there were about 9.97 lakh agriculture families in the State out of which about 89 percent small and marginal farmers. He said that as many as 9,26,963 eligible farmers have been provided assistance of Rs. 1355.80 crore under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojna till now.Chief Minister said that the State Government has made a budget provision of Rs. 642.47 crore for the year 2021-22 under various schemes for agriculture sector. He said that the State Government has also initiated several schemes such as Mukhya Mantri Nutan Polyhouse Project, Krishi Se Sampannta Yojna, Krishi Kosh, Prakritik Kheti Khushhal Kisan Yojna, JICA Phase-II, Jal Se Krishi Ko Bal Yojna etc. to benefit the farming community.Chief Secretary Anil Khachi, Director Land Records Hans Raj Chauhan, Director Agriculture Naresh Thakur and other senior officers were also present on the occasion.