Prime Minister Modi Releases 24th Installment of PM-KISAN Scheme

Prime Minister Narendra Modi released the 24th installment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme on Friday, transferring over ₹18,690 crore directly into the bank accounts of more than 9.34 crore farmers nationwide. The virtual launch event took place from Banaskantha in Gujarat, marking another major disbursement under the central agricultural welfare initiative.

In the state of Odisha, more than 35.38 lakh farmers received a total of ₹3,000 crore as part of this national rollout. Chief Minister Mohan Charan Majhi participated virtually from Bhubaneswar during a state-level 'PM-Kisan Utsav' program, emphasizing that rural empowerment remains a core priority for the administration. He described cultivators as essential 'Annadata' providers who sustain the regional economy.

Meanwhile, in Maharashtra, over 91.12 lakh farmers benefited from the latest round of funding, with ₹1,835 crore directly credited to their accounts. Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis joined the nationwide broadcast remotely from his official residence in Mumbai, alongside state agriculture department officials.

During the national address, Prime Minister Modi highlighted that smallholders comprise over 85 percent of the country's agricultural workforce. He noted that the PM-KISAN initiative has distributed roughly ₹4 lakh crore directly to farming households to date. Furthermore, he emphasized that government policies and support measures have delivered more than ₹50 lakh crore in total benefits to farmers over recent years.

Addressing broader agricultural supports, the Prime Minister pointed out that the central government absorbed heavy global fertilizer cost spikes to protect domestic growers, spending approximately ₹16 lakh crore to keep fertilizers affordable. He also noted that over the past twelve years, wheat and paddy producers have received ₹24 lakh crore through minimum support prices, while crop insurance compensation has exceeded ₹2 lakh crore in the last decade.

Efforts to lower irrigation expenses were also highlighted through the PM-KUSUM initiative, which has provided nearly 12 million solar pumps to reduce reliance on diesel and generate surplus energy. In addition, animal husbandry programs have delivered about 1.5 billion vaccine doses to combat foot-and-mouth disease, raising average daily dairy yields across the country.

During the Odisha state program, leaders observed a moment of silence to mourn the passing of Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan's mother, Smt. Kashi Bai Ji. State officials offered heartfelt condolences to the bereaved family during the solemn gathering.