**Executive Summary**
This document is an answer given in Lok Sabha on December 9th, 2025 to an unstarred question regarding strengthening agricultural growth in India. The document highlights the government's initiatives to address challenges faced by farmers, including the growth of the agriculture sector, steps taken to strengthen schemes like PM-KISAN, and proposed measures to enhance irrigation efficiency, digital extension services, and Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) for sustainable agricultural growth.
**Key Points / Main Content**
* **Agricultural Sector Growth:**
* The GVA of the agriculture sector is estimated at Rs. 23,67,287 Crore in 2023-24 (FRE), registering a growth of 2.7%.
* In 2024-25, the GVA of the agriculture sector is estimated at Rs. 24,76,805 Crore, registering a growth of 4.6%.
* Total foodgrain production in the country during 2024-25 is estimated at a record 3577.32 LMT, 7.65% higher than 2023-24.
* **Addressing Farmer Challenges:**
* The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare is implementing various central sector and centrally sponsored schemes to help farmers with rising input costs.
* The Government is implementing National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) to enhance market access by providing a transparent and competitive digital trading platform.
* The National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture is being implemented to make Indian agriculture more resilient to climate change.
* **Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR):**
* ICAR is focusing on the development of high-yielding climate resilient and nutritionally rich field-crop varieties.
* ICAR disseminates developed technologies to farmers through outreach activities and social media platforms.
* **PM-KISAN Scheme:**
* Launched in February 2019 to supplement the financial needs of farmers with cultivable landholding.
* Provides financial benefit of ₹ 6,000/- per year transferred in three equal installments via DBT.
* Technological measures including integration with PFMS, UIDAI, and the Income Tax Department have been introduced.
* Land seeding, Aadhaar-based payments, and e-KYC are mandatory.
* Saturation drives were undertaken to expand coverage, including drives under Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra (VBSY).
* **Per Drop More Crop (PDMC):**
* Implemented by the Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) to enhance Water Use Efficiency (WUE).
* Focuses on Micro Irrigation (Drip and Sprinkler Irrigation Systems).
* Implemented as a component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY) until 2021-22; subsequently under Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY).
* Government provides financial assistance: 55% for small/marginal farmers and 45% for other farmers.
* **Modernization of Command Area Development and Water Management (M-CADWM):**
* Approved as a sub-scheme of PMKSY, implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti on 09.04.2025.
* Aims for modernization of the irrigation water supply network, envisaging the creation of backend infrastructure supporting micro-irrigation.
* Enhances ‘On Farm Water Use Efficiency (WUE)' by providing pressurized pipe irrigation network.
* The M-CADWM pilot implementation covers 23 States/UTs.
* **Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM):**
* Promotes precision farming, satellite-based crop monitoring, and AI-driven advisories.
* Focuses on building a strong Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI) for agriculture, including AgriStack, the Krishi Decision Support System, and comprehensive soil profile mapping.
* Supports the Mission through satellite-based crop forecasting.
* Promotes AI and IoT-based solutions, including the AI-powered Kisan e-Mitra chatbot.
* **Formation and Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs):**
* Scheme for the registration of 10,000 FPOs across the country.
* Provides FPO management cost of Rs.18 lakh over 3 years to each FPO.
* Offers matching equity grant of upto Rs.15 lakh per FPO.
* Provides credit guarantee facility upto Rs.2 crore, from eligible lending institutions.
**Impact Analysis**
**Impact**
* Farmers: Beneficiaries of various schemes, including financial assistance (PM-KISAN), improved market access (e-NAM), irrigation support (PDMC, M-CADWM), and technological advancements (DAM).
* Increased access to financial support, markets, and technologies will enable increased income and sustainability.
**Action Required**
* Farmers: Need to register for and participate in the available schemes.
* Adopt new technologies and farming practices.
**Impact**
* State Governments: Coordination with the central government for the implementation of schemes, including PM-KISAN saturation drives.
**Action Required**
* State Governments: Facilitate the implementation of central schemes.
* Coordinate with the central government for the success of these programs.
**Impact**
* Agricultural Researchers (ICAR): Development and dissemination of climate-resilient crop varieties and technologies.
**Action Required**
* Agricultural Researchers (ICAR): Develop and disseminate climate-resilient crop varieties and technologies.
* Provide technical support to farmers.
**Impact**
* Lending Institutions: Provide credit facilities to FPOs under the central scheme.
**Action Required**
* Lending Institutions: Offer credit facilities to FPOs as per the scheme guidelines.
Key Entities Referenced
Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN): A central sector scheme to supplement the financial needs of farmers with cultivable landholding, providing ₹ 6,000/- per year transferred in three equal instalments.
Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare: The ministry responsible for implementing various schemes related to agriculture and farmer welfare.
Per Drop More Crop (PDMC): A centrally sponsored scheme focusing on enhancing Water Use Efficiency (WUE) at farm level through Micro Irrigation.
National Agriculture Market (e-NAM): An initiative to enhance opportunities for farmers and traders by enabling access to a transparent and competitive digital trading platform.
Digital Agriculture Mission (DAM): A mission to promote precision farming, satellite-based crop monitoring, and AI-driven advisories for improving productivity and resource efficiency.
GOVERNMENT OF INDIA
MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
LOK SABHA
UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. 1608
TO BE ANSWERED ON 09TH DECEMBER, 2025
STRENGTHENING AGRICULTURAL GROWTH
1608. Dr. D RAVI KUMAR:
Will the Minister of Agriculture and Farmers Welfare कृ िष एवं िकसान क(cid:670)ाण मं(cid:361)ी
be pleased to state;
(a) whether the Government is aware that India's agriculture sector grew by 3.8% in
2023-24, while farmers continue to face challenges related to input costs, market
access, and climate variability;
(b) the steps taken to strengthen schemes such as PM-KISAN; and
(c) whether the Government proposes new measures to enhance irrigation efficiency,
digital extension services, and Farmer Producer Organisations (FPOs) for sustainable
agricultural growth?
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): During 2023-24, as per the First Revised Estimates (FRE) of GVA at Basic Prices 2011-
12, the GVA of agriculture sector is estimated at Rs. 23,67,287 Crore registering a growth
of 2.7% and during 2024-25, the GVA of agriculture sector is estimated at Rs. 24,76,805
Crore registering a growth of 4.6% as per the provisional estimates of GVA at Basic Prices
2011-12. In addition to this, the total foodgrain production in the country during 2024-25 is
estimated at a record 3577.32 LMT which is higher by 7.65% i.e. 254.34 LMT than the
production of foodgrain of 3322.98 LMT achieved during 2023-24.
Further, in order to help the farmers facing challenges related to rising input costs
related to seeds, labour wages, pesticides, and fertilizers, The Department of Agriculture &
Farmers Welfare is implementing various central sector and centrally sponsored schemes,
which are annexed. To improve the market access, the Government is implementing
National Agriculture Market (e-NAM) with the aim to enhance opportunities for farmers and
traders by enabling them to access a transparent and competitive digital trading platform
that connects markets across India.
National Mission for Sustainable Agriculture, a part of the National Action Plan on
Climate Change (NAPCC) is being implemented by the Government which aims to evolve,
and implement strategies to make Indian agriculture more resilient to the changing climate.Further, Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) is focusing on the
development of high-yielding climate resilient and nutritionally rich field-crop varieties along
with the location specific production and protection technologies. Developed improved
varieties, production and protection technologies are being disseminated among farmers for
large-scale adoption through outreach activities viz., training/sensitization programmes
during the crop season, on-farm trials & frontline demonstrations, diagnostic field visits and
field friends programmes as well as through social media platforms.
(b): The PM-KISAN scheme is a central sector scheme launched in February 2019 by the
Hon’ble Prime Minister to supplement the financial needs of farmers with cultivable land-
holding. Under the scheme, a financial benefit of ₹ 6,000/- per year is transferred in three
equal instalments, into the Aadhaar seeded bank accounts of farmers through Direct Benefit
Transfer (DBT) mode. Under the PM-KISAN Scheme, cultivable landholding is primary
eligibility criteria to receive benefit of the Scheme subject to some certain exclusions relating
to higher income status.
To ensure transparency and efficient implementation, several technological
measures have been introduced, including integration with PFMS, UIDAI, and the Income
Tax Department. Further, land seeding, Aadhaar-based payments, and e-KYC have been
made mandatory to ensure benefits reach only to the eligible farmers.
Moreover, in order to expand coverage and to ensure that no eligible farmers are left
out from the Scheme, the Government of India often undertakes saturation drives in
coordination with the State Governments. A major nationwide saturation drive was
undertaken from 15th November 2023 under the Viksit Bharat Sankalp Yatra (VBSY), during
which, more than 1.0 Cr. farmers were included under PM-KISAN. Further, under the new
Government’s 100 days initiative, over 25 lakh eligible farmers were added under the PM-
KISAN scheme. Additionally, a special drive was conducted in September 2024 to clear the
pending self-registration cases, which resulted in the addition of over 30 lakh new farmers.
(c): The Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW) is implementing Centrally
Sponsored Scheme of Per Drop More Crop (PDMC) in the Country from 2015-16. PDMC
focuses on enhancing Water Use Efficiency (WUE) at farm level through Micro Irrigation
namely Drip and Sprinkler Irrigation Systems. From the year 2015-16 to 2021-22, the PDMC
was implemented as a component of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana (PMKSY).
From the year 2022-23, the PDMC is being implemented under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas
Yojana (RKVY). Under the PDMC, the Government provides financial assistance @ 55%
for small and marginal farmers and @ 45% for other farmers for installation of Drip and
Sprinkler systems
The Cabinet has approved Modernization of Command Area Development and Water
Management (M-CADWM) as a sub-scheme of Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchayee Yojana
(PMKSY), implemented by the Ministry of Jal Shakti on 09.04.2025. The scheme aims for
modernization of the irrigation water supply network to supply irrigation water from existing
distributary canals or other water sources in a designated cluster. It is envisaged to facilitate
the creation of backend infrastructure supporting micro-irrigation from established water
sources up to the farm gate (up to about 1 Ha). The scheme envisages to enhance ‘On Farm
Water Use Efficiency (WUE)’ by providing pressurized pipe irrigation network and
encouraging the farmers to adopt drip/ sprinkler systems for efficient use of water. The M-
CADWM pilot implementation covers 23 States/UTs.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.
The Government is implementing a Central Sector Scheme for “Formation and
Promotion of 10,000 Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs)”. Under this scheme, 10,000
FPOs have been registered across the country. Under the scheme, FPO management cost
of Rs.18 lakh over 3 years, is available to each FPO. FPO can also avail matching equity
grant of upto Rs.15 lakh per FPO (as against Rs.2000 contribution per farmer). Additionally,
the scheme provides for credit guarantee facility upto Rs.2 crore, from eligible lending
institutions.Annexure
Major schemes/ programmes of Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare
1. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN)
2. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maan Dhan Yojana (PM-KMY)
3. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)/ Restructured Weather Based
Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS)
4. Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS)
5. Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF)
6. Formation and Promotion of 10,000 new Farmer Producers Organizations
(FPOs)
7. National Bee Keeping and Honey Mission (NBHM)
8. Namo Drone Didi
9. National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF)
10. Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA)
11. Agri Fund for Start-Ups & Rural Enterprises’ (AgriSURE)
12. Per Drop More Crop (PDMC)
13. Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM)
14. Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY)
15. Soil Health & Fertility (SH&F)
16. Rainfed Area Development (RAD)
17. Agroforestry
18. Crop Diversification Programme (CDP)
19. Sub-Mission on Agriculture Extension (SMAE)
20. Sub-Mission on Seed and Planting Material (SMSP)
21. National Food Security and Nutrition Mission (NFSNM)
22. Integrated Scheme for Agriculture Marketing (ISAM)
23. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH)
24. National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oil Palm
25. National Mission on Edible Oils (NMEO)-Oilseeds
26. Mission Organic Value Chain Development for North Eastern Region
27. Digital Agriculture Mission
28. National Bamboo Mission
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