Opinion | Modinomics: The Kisan Comes First

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.

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 date, over Rs 4 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. The corpus of the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund stands raised to Rs 2 lakh crore.

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“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"— PM Narendra Modi, in his address, at an event on August 7th, 2025, marking the centenary celebrations of MS Swaminathan, father of India’s Green Revolution.

Additionally, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY), introduced in 2016, has revolutionised crop insurance by offering affordable premiums and comprehensive coverage against natural calamities, pests, and diseases, with premiums as low as 2 per cent for Kharif crops, 1.5 per cent for Rabi crops, and 5 per cent for horticulture crops. Since its inception in 2016, over 78.4 crore applications have been insured, of which over 23 crore farmers received claims totalling over Rs 2 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 farmers receive fair remuneration. These include 7 cereals, 5 pulses, 7 oilseeds, and 4 commercial crops. Since 2018, the MSP for Kharif crops has been set at least 1.5 times the cost of production, guaranteeing at least a 50 per cent profit margin and in some cases even higher.

The Digital Agriculture Mission, approved in 2024 with an outlay of Rs 2817 crore, is a flagship initiative that leverages Digital Public Infrastructure to enhance farmers’ access to information, markets, and services. This mission includes components like the Agri Stack, which provides farmers with digital identities. The Krishi Decision Support System uses satellite imagery and data analytics to offer real-time insights on weather, soil health, and crop management. The Soil Health Card Scheme, launched in 2015, has been another pivotal step. Over 25 crore soil health cards have been distributed. By curbing the overuse of fertilisers, which previously degraded soil health, the scheme has promoted sustainable farming practices and reduced input costs. Additionally, the introduction of neem-coated urea has enhanced fertiliser efficiency by 10–15 per cent and curbed its misuse.

The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY), with its motto “Har Khet Ko Paani" (water to every field), has brought over 98 lakh hectares under irrigation and fast-tracked over 89 dormant irrigation projects. Micro-irrigation systems such as drip and sprinkler irrigation, have been expanded to drought-prone areas, reducing water wastage and boosting crop yields.

The National Agriculture Market (e-NAM), launched in 2016, is a pan-India electronic trading platform. By enabling farmers to sell their produce online, e-NAM eliminates intermediaries, ensures transparent pricing. This has improved price realisation and reduced exploitation, contributing to higher incomes. Over 1.78 crore farmers, across 1389 Mandis, spread over 23 States and 4 Union Territories, have till date, traded agri-produce worth Rs 3.79 lakh crore. Over 2.62 lakhs traders and over 5000 Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) are also registered on eNAM, facilitating trade and market access for their members. Overall, the number of FPOs in India are in excess of 10,000 today.

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Sampada Yojana (PMKSY), with an additional outlay of Rs 6520 crore approved a few months back by the Modi cabinet, reduces post-harvest losses. The implementation of the proposed 50 multi-product food irradiation units is expected to create total preservation capacity ranging from 20 to 30 Lakh Metric Tonnes (LMT) per annum. The setting up of the proposed 100 NABL-accredited food testing laboratories under private sector will lead to the development of advanced infrastructure for testing food samples, thereby ensuring compliance with food safety standards. The establishment of a Rs 10,000 crore corpus for fisheries, aquaculture, and animal husbandry further supports allied agricultural activities.

Additionally, the Gram Jyoti Yojana has provided uninterrupted electricity to rural areas by separating agricultural and non-agricultural feeders, boosting productivity in farming and related cottage industries.

With climate change posing a significant threat to agriculture, the Modi government has prioritised sustainable and climate-resilient farming practices. The Crop Science for Food and Nutritional Security initiative, with a Rs 3979 crore outlay, focuses on developing climate-resilient crop varieties. Over the past decade, over 1900 new climate-resilient crop varieties, including water-efficient rice and nutrient-rich millets, have been introduced. Women farmers in particular, have benefited from initiatives like Drone Didi, with self-help groups (SHGs) contributing to rural economic empowerment.

The promotion of millets, referred to as Shri Anna, has been another success story. Millets, which require minimal water and offer high nutritional value, have been integrated into global markets, with 2023 celebrated as the International Year of Millets. The Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana encourages organic farming, particularly in the North-Eastern region, supporting exports of organic produce and enhancing farmers’ profitability. These efforts align with India’s vision of sustainable agriculture and global food security, as articulated by PM Modi’s mantras of “One Earth, One Family, One Future" and Mission LiFE.

Recognising the need for skilled and informed farmers, the Modi government has invested in agricultural education and extension services. The Strengthening Agricultural Education, Management, and Social Sciences initiative, with a Rs 2291 crore outlay, aims to equip students and researchers with the skills to address modern agricultural challenges. The expansion of Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) to over 731 in number has strengthened the “Lab to Land" mission, delivering scientific knowledge. KVKs have conducted over 70,000 training programmes covering over 25 lakh farmers in the last few years providing training, soil testing kits, and access to quality seeds through initiatives like Krishi Dak, developed by the Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI). The Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY) has trained over 40 million farmers and rural youth in agricultural skills, fostering entrepreneurship and improving productivity.

Agricultural production has reached stupendous highs, with foodgrain output touching 279.51 million tonnes in 2017–18, despite consecutive droughts in 2014–15 and 2015–16. India has since, never looked back. Today we are targeting 357.73 million tonnes of foodgrain production in the 2025-26 crop year starting July 2025. Remember, eleven years back, the foodgrain production was barely 260 million tonnes.

Agricultural credit too has expanded from Rs 7.3 lakh crore in 2013–14 to Rs 27.5 lakh crore in 2025, making affordable finance accessible to small farmers.

Of late, there has been a hue and cry over the India-US trade deal. The Congress Party, particularly its debilitated scion, Rahul Gandhi, has been fear-mongering and spreading canards about the deal, alleging it is anti-farmer. The truth however is, Indian growers of tea, coffee, spices, and fruits are set to gain from the trade deal, as the US has granted duty-free access for these products. The reduction of import duties on rice to 18 per cent is also expected to support exporters of both premium basmati and non-basmati varieties. Many agri-products will get a far bigger access to American markets at excellent profit margins, benefiting our farmers, exporters, and every stakeholder in the agricultural value chain. The Congress had surrendered interests of our dairy farmers and cotton growers via the lopsided RCEP it signed in 2011, under Chinese pressure. The Modi government, on the other hand, exited the RCEP, as it cares for our “Annadata". Also, India under PM Modi, has always been firm on its stance against importing genetically modified (GM) crops from the US. Speaking of specifics, let us take an example–We import around 500,000 metric tons of apples annually from Iran, Turkey, Afghanistan, the US, and Chile. Under a trade deal with the US, imports will only be allowed at a stiff duty of 25 per cent and a minimum import price of 80 rupees or more per kg, effectively preventing shipments below 100 rupees per kg and thereby protecting Indian farmers. So, why the brouhaha by India’s vanquished Opposition? Again, consumption of dry fruits such as walnuts, almonds, and pistachios has been rising in India. Domestic production of these commodities is limited, so concessional imports in limited quantities are unlikely to affect local farmers, in any case.

The updated terminology of the India-US trade deal has categorically removed any references to “agriculture" or “pulses", once again reinforcing that under Modi, we will never cave into any bullying from global pressure groups or western farm lobbies. In the final analysis, it can be safely concluded that the journey from “farm to fork" under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is replete with momentous milestones. For instance, from being a “poor man’s milk supplier", Amul has today transformed into a globally competitive dairy brand, with far-reaching distribution muscle. Today, the food processing sector can get 100 per cent FDI through the automatic route and is attracting sizeable overseas investments, something that was clearly unthinkable under the lazy, erstwhile Congress regimes in India. Modinomics with its focus on infrastructure, technology, minimal wastage, and enhanced market access for our farmers, has reduced post-harvest losses, improved price realisations, and positioned India as a global leader in the food chain, where we negotiate on our own terms.

The author is an economist, national spokesperson for BJP and bestselling author of ‘The Modi Gambit’. Views expressed in the above piece are personal and solely those of the writer. They do not necessarily reflect News18’s views.

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