From PM Kisan Samman Nidhi to Kisan Credit Card: Here are top central schemes aimed at farmers’ welfare

Farming is a major occupation in India, with approximately 60 percent of the country's population engaged in agriculture and related activities. A majority of Indian farmers are small and marginal farmers who own less than 2 hectares of land. Not surprisingly, they face a number of challenges, including access to credit, inputs, and markets, over-reliance on monsoons for meeting irrigation needs, low productivity, and crop losses due to natural disasters, pests, and diseases. 
To target farmers’ welfare and provide them adequate support on various fronts, the government of India has implemented several schemes and programs to support our 'annadaatas' ranging from crop insurance, financial assistance, technology dissemination and more. 

Here’s a list of major schemes that the Government of India has implemented for farmers’ well-being: 

Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY)

Launched in 2016, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) aims to provide farmers in India with affordable crop insurance. The PMFBY aims to provide farmers with financial assistance in the event of crop failure or damage caused by natural disasters, pests, or diseases. Farmers pay a nominal premium under PMFBY, and the remaining insurance costs are borne by the central and state governments. All food and oilseed crops, as well as horticultural and commercial crops, are covered by the scheme. Insurance coverage is provided from the time of sowing to the time of harvesting. PMFBY uses technology to ensure faster and more accurate crop loss assessment. The scheme assesses crop damage and loss using remote sensing technology, smartphones, and drones, which helps to expedite the claims process and ensure timely payment of compensation to farmers.

Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi

The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-Kisan) scheme was launched in February 2019 by the Government of India to provide income support to small and marginal farmers. Eligible farmers receive a direct cash transfer of Rs. 6,000 per year in three equal installments of Rs. 2,000 each. 

Kisan Credit Card Scheme (KCC)

Kisan Credit Card is a credit scheme launched by the Government of India in 1998 to provide farmers with affordable credit for agricultural and related activities. The scheme is implemented in collaboration with public and private sector banks by the National Bank for Agriculture and Rural Development (NABARD). Farmers are given a credit card under the KCC scheme that can be used to obtain credit for agricultural and allied activities such as crop production, livestock, fisheries, and agro-processing. Banks issue credit cards, which provide access to credit based on the farmer's creditworthiness and the value of the landholding.

The KCC scheme provides credit at an affordable interest rate usually lower than the market rate to encourage farmers to invest in agriculture and related activities. The scheme also provides flexibility in repayment of the loan, based on the farmer's income and cash flow from agricultural activities.

Soil Health Card Scheme

The Soil Health Card Scheme is a government initiative launched in February 2015 by the Government of India to promote soil testing and improve soil health in India. The scheme's main goal is to help farmers make informed decisions about nutrient management practices by providing them with soil health cards that contain information on their soil's nutrient status. 

Soil samples from agricultural land are collected and tested for parameters such as pH, organic carbon, available nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur, micronutrients, and salinity under this scheme. Based on the test results, the farmer is given a soil health card that contains information about the soil's nutrient status and recommendations for fertiliser and soil amendment dosage.

The scheme aims to promote balanced fertiliser use while minimising overuse, which can result in soil degradation, water pollution, and soil fertility loss. In addition, the scheme encourages the use of organic manures and bio-fertilizers to improve soil health and reduce reliance on chemical fertilisers.

National Agricultural Market (eNAM)

The National Agriculture Market is an online trading platform for agricultural commodities in India. It was launched by the Government of India in April 2016, with the aim of creating a unified national market for agricultural commodities, and to promote transparency and competition in the agricultural market. The eNAM platform enables farmers, traders, and buyers to sell and buy agricultural commodities from anywhere in India. It provides a single-window service for all agricultural trade-related activities, such as marketing, pricing, and payment. The platform also provides real-time information on prices, arrivals, and demand for various commodities.

Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana (PMKSY) 

The Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana is a central government scheme that was launched in 2015 with the goal of providing farmers across the country with comprehensive irrigation solutions. The scheme focuses on increasing farm water use efficiency, increasing the adoption of precision irrigation technologies, and increasing the cultivable area under irrigation. 

The PMKSY scheme aims to bring together various ongoing irrigation initiatives under a single umbrella, as well as to provide financial assistance to states for irrigation infrastructure development. The scheme funds the development of new water sources, the repair and renovation of existing water bodies, and the construction of water storage structures.

PMKSY also encourages the use of micro-irrigation techniques such as drip and sprinkler irrigation, which can improve water use efficiency and crop productivity significantly. The programme also focuses on the development of rainwater harvesting infrastructure, which can help recharge groundwater and increase irrigation water availability.

Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY)

Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana is a central government scheme that was launched in 2007 to promote agricultural growth and development in India. The scheme provides financial assistance to states and union territories for agricultural and allied sector development. The primary goal of RKVY is to incentivize states to increase their investment in agriculture and related sectors, while ensuring that the investments are directed toward specific areas with the potential to contribute to agricultural growth. The programme funds a variety of activities, including agricultural research and development, extension services, infrastructure development, and marketing assistance.