Thiruvananthapuram

Union Minister of State for Petroleum, Natural Gas and Tourism Suresh Gopi on Saturday said the PM-KISAN Samman Nidhi scheme demonstrates the Centre’s strong commitment to improving farmers’ welfare, strengthening agriculture and promoting rural prosperity.

Speaking at the PM-Kisan Utsav Diwas programme held at the ICAR-Central Tuber Crops Research Institute, Gopi said the flagship initiative has evolved into one of the largest farmer-support programmes in the world since its launch in 2019.

The event included a live webcast of Prime Minister Narendra Modi releasing the 23rd instalment of financial assistance under the PM-KISAN scheme.

According to a government statement, Gopi highlighted that more than ₹4.28 lakh crore has been directly transferred to farmers through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) mechanism, ensuring transparent and timely financial support to agricultural households across the country.

The minister said agriculture has received unprecedented policy attention in recent years through initiatives such as PM-KISAN, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana and the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana, among other farmer-focused reforms.

He noted that these programmes are aimed at enhancing productivity, promoting sustainable farming practices and ensuring income security for cultivators while preparing the sector to meet future challenges.

Emphasising the importance of environmental sustainability, Gopi called for greater efforts to improve soil health and adopt eco-friendly agricultural practices. He also advocated wider adoption of organic farming and reduced dependence on chemical fertilisers to preserve soil fertility for future generations.

The minister praised the contributions of ICAR-CTCRI over the past six decades, describing it as a leading institution for tropical tuber crop research with international recognition for its scientific work.

He said the institute has developed several high-yielding, disease-resistant and farmer-friendly varieties of crops such as cassava, sweet potato and elephant foot yam, helping improve productivity and farm incomes in different parts of the country.

Gopi also lauded the institute's efforts in developing nutrient-rich and biofortified crop varieties that contribute to improving nutritional security.

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The programme featured an exhibition along with field and laboratory visits showcasing the institute’s innovations and technological advancements in tropical tuber crop research.