Nirmala Sitharaman launches three key initiatives of the Ministry of Agriculture
22 September 2023, New Delhi: Union Finance Minister Ms. Nirmala Sitharaman & Union Agriculture Minister Narendra Singh Tomar unveiled initiatives focused on agri-credit (KCC & MISS) and crop insurance (PMFBY/RWBCIS).
The Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare launched three initiatives, namely the Kisan Rin Portal (KRP), KCC Ghar Ghar Abhiyaan, an ambitious campaign aiming to extend the benefits of the Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme to every farmer across the nation, and a manual on Weather Information Network Data Systems (WINDS). These initiatives aim to revolutionize agriculture, enhance financial inclusion, optimize data utilization, and improve the lives of farmers across the nation.
Delivering the keynote address on the occasion, Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman assured full cooperation of banks for the success of Ghar Ghar KCC Abhiyan. The finance minister commended the Ministry of Agriculture for its initiatives and successful implementation of Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY). She said that over 1,40,000 crores of insurance amount has been disbursed to farmers so far against a premium amount of Rs. 29,000 crores. She also appreciated real-time estimation for rice and wheat crop output and called for the estimation to be extended to Dalhan and Tilhan crops so that better planning can be done for their imports if needed.
The finance minister said that real-time estimation of crops will help the economy and ensure the right prices for farmers at the end of the crop season. Sitharaman also called for full automation of regional rural banks and cooperative banks and directed the Department of Financial Services to study the gap between loan sanction and loan disbursement for these banks.
Narendra Singh Tomar in his address highlighted the importance accorded to agriculture and rural economy under the current government. He informed that the budget for the Ministry of Agriculture has increased from Rs. 23,000 crore in the year 2013-14 to Rs. 1,25,000 crore in 2023-24. Talking of the WINDS manual, the minister said the aim is to ensure real-time weather information so that farmers can take the right precautions for their crops at the right time. Tomar said that the use of technology and transparency is important for agriculture and this government has taken necessary steps in this regard. The agriculture minister informed that there are around 9 crore beneficiaries under PM Kisan Samman Nidhi and KCC Ghar Ghar Abhiyaan aims to connect around 1.5 crore beneficiaries who are not yet connected to the KCC scheme.
What is Kisan Rin Portal (KRP)
Developed collaboratively by the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers’ Welfare (MoA&FW), the Department of Financial Services (DFS), the Department of Animal Husbandry & Dairying (DAH&D), the Department of Fisheries (DoF), RBI, and NABARD, KRP is poised to revolutionize access to credit services under the Kisan Credit Card (KCC). It will also assist farmers in availing of subsidized agriculture credit through the Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS).
The KRP portal serves as an integrated hub, offering a comprehensive view of farmer data, loan disbursement specifics, interest subvention claims, and scheme utilization progress. By fostering seamless integration with banks, this pioneering portal enables proactive policy interventions, strategic guidance, and adaptive enhancements for more focused and efficient agriculture credit and optimum utilization of interest subvention.
Ghar-Ghar KCC Abhiyaan: Door to Door KCC Campaign
The event also marks the commencement of the “Ghar Ghar KCC Abhiyaan,”. MoA&FW’s commitment to universal financial inclusion is underscored by this campaign, ensuring that every farmer has unhindered access to credit facilities that drive their agricultural pursuits. The campaign will begin from 1st October 2023 to 31st December 2023.
MoA&FW has diligently verified existing KCC account holders’ data against the PM KISAN database, identifying account holders who match with the PM KISAN database and those who, although PM KISAN beneficiaries, do not have KCC accounts. This campaign plays a pivotal role in reaching out to non-KCC account holder PM KISAN beneficiaries and fostering the saturation of KCC Accounts among eligible PM Kisan beneficiary farmers.
Launch of WINDS Manual
The Weather Information Network Data Systems (WINDS) initiative stands as a pioneering effort to establish a network of Automatic Weather Stations and Rain Gauges at the taluk/block and gram panchayat levels. This initiative creates a robust database of hyper-local weather data, supporting various agricultural services.
This comprehensive WINDS manual launched today provides stakeholders with an in-depth understanding of the portal’s functionalities, data interpretation, and effective utilization. It guides States and Union Territories in establishing and integrating with the WINDS platform, fostering transparent and objective data observation and transmission. It also offers practical insights into leveraging weather data for improved crop management, resource allocation, and risk mitigation.
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