Context:

National Farmers’ Day (Kisan Divas), observed on 23rd December, commemorates the birth anniversary of Shri Chaudhary Charan Singh.

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Shri Chaudhary Charan Singh, India’s fifth Prime Minister who served the country from 1979 to 1980, and was a staunch advocate for farmers’ welfare. 

• This day celebrates his invaluable contributions and highlights his pivotal role in farming reforms and nation-building.
• He was given the Bharat Ratna Award (Posthumously) in 2024. 

This year, the theme for the National Farmers’ Day 2024 is "Empowering 'Annadatas' for a Prosperous Nation."

The government’s budget for the Department of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare has increased from ₹21,933.50 crore in 2013-14 to a remarkable ₹1,22,528.77 crore in 2024-25. 

• This fivefold increase underscores the nation’s commitment to addressing challenges faced by farmers and fostering sustainable agricultural growth.

Farmers’ Role in Nation-Building

• Agriculture is the cornerstone of India’s economy, employing nearly half of the nation’s population and contributing 17.7% to the Gross Value Added (GVA) in FY 2023-24. 
• With over 54.8% of India’s land used for agriculture, farmers are the driving force behind food security and rural development.
• In 2023-24, India achieved a record foodgrain production of 332.2 million tonnes, surpassing the previous year’s output showing the resilience and unwavering dedication of Indian farmers.

Key Government Initiatives for Farmers’ Welfare 

PM-KISAN Scheme, 2018:

• PM Kisan is a Central Sector scheme with 100% funding from the Government of India.
• Under the scheme an income support of 6,000/- per year in three equal instalments will be provided to all land-holding farmer families.

Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS), 2016: 

• This scheme provides concessional short-term Agri-loans with a 7% interest rate on loans up to 3 lakh and an additional 3% subvention for timely repayment, reducing the effective rate to 4%. 

Kisan Credit Card, 1998:  

• This scheme provides farmers with easy access to agriculture inputs and cash for production needs. 

Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, 2020: 

• Launched under the Atmanirbhar Bharat Package, it is aimed at providing support for sustainable agriculture by financing infrastructure projects across India. 

Other Recent Initiatives

• Namo Drone Didi: Approved for 2024-26, this scheme empowers 15,000 Women SHGs by providing drones for agricultural services such as fertiliser and pesticide application.
• Kisan Kavach: Launched on December 17, 2024, this is India’s first anti-pesticide bodysuit, designed to protect farmers from harmful pesticide exposure.
• Clean Plant Programme: Approved on August 9, 2024, it provides disease-free planting materials to improve the productivity and quality of horticultural crops.
• Digital Agriculture Mission: Approved on September 2, 2024, this initiative supports digital agriculture through public infrastructure and technologies like the Digital General Crop Estimation Survey.
• NMEO-Oilseeds: Approved on October 3, 2024, this mission focuses on boosting domestic oilseed production and achieving self-reliance in edible oils.
• National Mission on Natural Farming: Approved on November 25, 2024, this initiative promotes chemical-free, sustainable farming practices across the country.