**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer provided by the Minister of State for Agriculture and Farmers Welfare to question number 454 in Lok Sabha, scheduled for December 2nd, 2025. It details measures to modernise agricultural infrastructure under the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF), ensure the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme reaches eligible beneficiaries, and increase the adoption of digital technologies in agriculture. It also lists several initiatives and programs already underway.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF):**
* Launched in 2020-21 to address gaps in post-harvest management.
* Banks provide loans worth ₹1 lakh crore with a 3% annual interest subvention from AIF.
* Credit guarantee coverage for loans up to ₹2 crore is supported through CGTMSE and NABSanrakshan.
* AIF supports medium- to long-term financing for various post-harvest and farming assets.
* Projects under AIF have mobilised investments of ₹1,22,731 crore in the agriculture sector.
* **Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN):**
* Multiple enrollment channels are available, including a web portal, mobile app, and Common Service Centres (CSCs).
* The government provides administrative funds to States/UTs for outreach.
* Benefits are released through Aadhaar-seeded Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) based on verified data.
* Technological validations, including integration with PFMS, UIDAI, and the Income Tax Department, are used to prevent duplication and exclusion.
* The PM-KISAN database is cross-checked with PDS ration card records.
* **Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM):**
* The mission promotes precision farming, satellite-based crop monitoring, and AI-driven advisories.
* Focuses on building Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), including AgriStack, Krishi Decision Support System, and comprehensive soil profile mapping.
* The Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre (MNCFC) supports the Mission through satellite-based crop forecasting under the FASAL project.
* Promotes AI and IoT-based solutions, including the Kisan e-Mitra chatbot and the National Pest Surveillance System.
**Impact Analysis**
**Farmers, Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs), Cooperatives, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), Self Help Groups (SHGs), agri-entrepreneurs and start-ups**
* **Impact:** Increased access to post-harvest management infrastructure, financing, and digital technologies to improve productivity, reduce crop losses, and improve farm management. Reduced exclusion from PM-KISAN.
* **Action Required:** Utilize available resources and technologies, participate in enrollment programs, and adapt farming practices based on advisories.
**State Governments/UTs**
* **Impact:** Requirement to coordinate with the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare for outreach and promotional activities for PM-KISAN.
* **Action Required:** Conduct periodic saturation drives for universal coverage of PM-KISAN, upload verified data to the PM-KISAN portal, and coordinate with central government agencies.
**Banks and Financial Institutions**
* **Impact:** Extend loans under the AIF, incentivized by interest subvention and credit guarantee coverage.
* **Action Required:** Provide loans for post-harvest infrastructure and farming assets, adhering to the AIF guidelines.
Key Entities Referenced
Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF): A fund launched to address gaps in post-harvest management and strengthen agricultural infrastructure by providing interest subvention on loans. Launched in 2020-21
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN): A scheme to provide income support to small and marginal farmers. Steps are being taken to ensure eligible beneficiaries are reached.
Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM): A mission to promote precision farming and AI-driven advisories for improving agricultural productivity.
Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare: The ministry responsible for modernizing agricultural infrastructure and adoption of digital technologies in India.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 454
TO BE ANSWERED ON THE 02ND December, 2025
MODERNISATION OF AGRICULTURAL INFRASTRUCTURE AND ADOPTION OF
DIGITAL TECHNOLOGIES
454. SMT. PRATIMA MONDAL:
Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण मं(cid:361)ी
be pleased to state:
(a) the details of measures being undertaken to modernise agricultural infrastructure under
the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund, particularly in enhancing post-harvest management,
storage, and value-chain efficiency at the grassroots level;
(b) the details of the steps which have been taken to ensure that the Pradhan Mantri Kisan
Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme reaches all eligible beneficiaries, and steps taken to
address issues of duplication, exclusion, or misidentification of farmers in the beneficiary
database; and
(c) the details of the Government strategy to increase the adoption of digital technologies
—such as precision farming, satellite-based crop monitoring, and AI-driven advisory
systems — for enhancing productivity and resource efficiency?
ANSWER
MINISTER OF STATE FOR AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण रा(cid:475)मं(cid:361)ी (SHRI RAMNATH THAKUR)
(a) : The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) was launched in 2020-21 to address gaps in
post-harvest management and strengthen agricultural infrastructure. Banks and financial
institutions extend loans worth ₹1 lakh crore, with 3% per annum interest subvention from
AIF. Credit guarantee coverage under Credit Guarantee Fund Trust for Micro and Small
Enterprises (CGTMSE) and NABSanrakshan for loans up to ₹2 crore is supported by
Government of India. AIF provides interest subvention for medium- to long-term financing
for creation of post-harvest and farming assets such as custom hiring centres, warehouses,
silos, cold storages, pack-houses, sorting and grading units, assaying facilities, primary
processing centres, logistics/supply-chain infrastructure etc. Interest subvention and credit
guarantee together encourage investments by farmers, Farmer Producers Organizations
(FPOs), Cooperatives, Primary Agricultural Credit Societies (PACS), Self Help Groups
(SHGs), agri-entrepreneurs and start-ups. Projects under AIF have mobilized an
investment of ₹1,22,731 crore in the agriculture sector like 39,022 custom hiring centres,
25,721 processing units, 20,917 farm automation units, 17,362 warehouses, 4,032 sorting
and grading units, 2,739 cold storages etc.(b) : To ensure that the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme
reaches all eligible beneficiaries, the Government has established multiple enrolment
channels including the PM-KISAN web portal, PM-KISAN Mobile App, and Common
Service Centres (CSCs). The Government extends administrative funds to States/UTs to
facilitate their outreach and promotional activities. The Ministry, in coordination with State
Governments, conducts periodic saturation drives to ensure universal coverage. The 21st
installment of PM-KISAN was disbursed to 9.34 crore farmers. To address issues of
duplication, exclusion, or misidentification, benefits are released only through Aadhaar-
seeded Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) based on verified State/UT data uploaded to the
PM-KISAN portal. Several technological validations have been introduced, including
integration with PFMS for bank-account verification, UIDAI for Aadhaar authentication
and removal of deceased beneficiaries, and the Income Tax Department for enforcing
exclusion criteria. The PM-KISAN database is additionally cross-checked with PDS ration
card records and subjected to automated deduplication across PFMS, UIDAI, and Income
Tax datasets. These measures ensure accuracy, transparency, and that only eligible
farmers with cultivable landholdings receive the Scheme’s benefits.
(c) : The Government of India is implementing the Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM) to
promote precision farming, satellite-based crop monitoring, and AI-driven advisories for
improving productivity and resource efficiency. The Mission focuses on building a strong
Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for agriculture, including AgriStack, the Krishi Decision
Support System, and comprehensive soil profile mapping. AgriStack comprises
foundational databases such as Farmers’ Registry, Geo-referenced Village Maps, and
Crop Sown Registry, enabling timely and reliable crop-related information for farmers.
The Mahalanobis National Crop Forecast Centre (MNCFC) supports the Mission through
satellite-based crop forecasting under the FASAL project, drought monitoring, and
technological support to PMFBY through YES-TECH and digital crop-cutting
experiments. The Government is also promoting AI and IoT-based solutions for
personalized advisories and improved farm management. Key initiatives include the AI-
powered Kisan e-Mitra chatbot for farmer queries and the National Pest Surveillance
System, which uses AI/ML tools to detect pest infestations and reduce crop losses.
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