“For us, the welfare of our farmers is of the highest priority. Bharat will never compromise on the interests of its farmers, livestock rearers, and fishermen. And I am fully aware that I may have to pay a very heavy price personally, but I am prepared for it. For the farmers of my country, for the fishermen of my country, for the livestock rearers of my country, Bharat stands ready today," said PM Narendra Modi, in his address, at an event on August 7, 2025, marking the centenary celebrations of MS Swaminathan, father of India’s Green Revolution.

Clearly, among the many things, if there is one thing that PM Modi has always, unflinchingly supported, it is the cause of our farmers. Indian farmers historically faced challenges such as low productivity, inadequate infrastructure and limited access to credit for the longest time under erstwhile Congress regimes. However, all that changed post May 2014 when Narendra Modi became the Prime Minister. He prioritised agricultural reforms and farmer welfare, introducing a range of schemes and policies aimed at transforming the sector. These initiatives, encapsulated in the motto Beej se Bazaar Tak (from seed to market), have sought to empower farmers, enhance productivity and bolster the agricultural economy. One of the cornerstones of Modi’s agricultural policy has been ensuring financial stability for farmers, addressing the historical issue of debt traps and inadequate income. The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, launched in 2019, has been a game-changer in this regard. Under PM-KISAN, eligible farmers receive direct income support of Rs 6000 annually. As of August 2025, over Rs 3.89 lakh crore has been disbursed to approximately 110 million farmers, providing a crucial safety net for small and marginal farmers who form the backbone of Indian agriculture.

Additionally, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), introduced in 2016, has revolutionized crop insurance by offering affordable premiums and comprehensive coverage against natural calamities, pests and diseases, with premiums as low as 2% for Kharif crops, 1.5% for Rabi crops and 5% for horticulture crops. Since its inception in 2016, 78.4 crore applications have been insured, of which 22.667 crore farmers received claims totalling over Rs 1.83 lakh crore. This has mitigated financial risks, enabling farmers to recover from crop losses, particularly in the face of unpredictable weather patterns. Again, the PM Dhan-Dhaanya Krishi Yojana targets 100 low-performing agri-districts with an annual outlay of Rs 24,000 crore for 6 years. It aims to enhance productivity, promote crop diversification, improve irrigation and storage, and ensure credit access. The scheme ensures saturation-based convergence of 36 schemes from 11 ministries, benefiting 1.7 crore farmers directly.

The Modi government has also increased the Minimum Support Price (MSP) across 23 crops, to ensure........

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