Page 2 - Shivraj Singh Chouhan

Paddy acreage up 2.22% to 41.35 mn hectare so far in this kharif season

Area sown to paddy has increased by 2.22 per cent to 413.50 lakh hectares so far in the ongoing 2024-25 kharif (summer) season, the agriculture ministry said on Monday. In the year-ago period, area under paddy was 404.50 lakh hectares. Sowing of paddy, the main kharif crop, begins with the onset of southwest monsoon from June, and harvesting takes place from September. Additionally, area sown to pulses increased to 128.58 lakh hectare till September 23 of the ongoing season, from 119.28 to pulses in the same period last year, the ministry said in a statement. Area sown to 'arhar' and 'moong' reported higher area at 46.50 lakh hectare and 35.46 lakh hectare, respectively, while area under urad was slightly lower at 30.73 lakh hectare so far in the current season. Area under coarse cereals and 'Shree Anna' (millets) increased to 192.55 lakh hectare from 186.07 lakh hectare in the year-ago period. Among coarse cereals, area under maize rose to 88.06 lakh hectare from 84.65 lakh ...

Centre drops private participation in grain procurement from PM-AASHA

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan to meet farmers' groups every Tuesday to hear grievances; expects higher kharif output despite surplus rains

India to produce more rice this year despite heavy rains: Shivraj Singh

Last year, the El Nino weather pattern curtailed rains in the country, which relies on the June-to-September monsoon for watering nearly half of its farmland that lacks irrigation

Development of tribals, poor, youth, women our priority: PM Modi in J'khand

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday said the Centre's priority is development of tribals, poor, Dalits, women and youths, and several schemes have been launched to benefit them. Jharkhand, which was lagging in development, will also see rapid growth with the launch of these projects, he said. "Jharkhand was lagging in development but now several projects would usher in progress here. Now, the Centre's priority is development of tribals, poor, youth, women and Dalit," Modi said, while virtually addressing people gathered at Tatanagar for the launch of Vande Bharat trains and several projects. The PM apologised to the people for not being able to reach Tatanagar as "my chopper could not take off from Ranchi due to bad weather". He said rail and other projects would boost industry, tourism, economic growth and development in the eastern region. Earlier, he virtually flagged off six Vande Bharat trains for Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar and UP at Ranchi. On the occasion, Union Minister

Agri minister Chouhan submits report on floods in AP, Telangana to HM Shah

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday met Home Minister Amit Shah and submitted a preliminary report on the extent of damage caused to agricultural crops due to floods and heavy rains in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. "...handed over the preliminary report of damage caused in the flood and heavy rain-affected areas of AP and Telangana. Soon, a central team will visit the affected areas and assess the damage," Chouhan posted on X after meeting Shah. The floods in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana have severely impacted agricultural lands, with significant crop damage reported across both states. In Andhra alone, crops in about 1.8 lakh hectares is estimated to have been damaged as shared by the Union minister during his recent visit to the flood-hit state. Chouhan recently visited the two southern states and reviewed the flood situation. He has assured that the central government will provide support for recovery efforts. The catastrophic flood was triggered by a depress

Govt to procure soyabean at MSP in Madhya Pradesh: Agriculture Minister

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said the government will procure soyabean at a minimum support price in Madhya Pradesh amid a fall in the rates below the MSP level. MSP of soyabean (yellow) is fixed at Rs 4,892 per quintal for 2024-25. The procurement will be carried out under the Price Support Scheme (PSS) implemented by the agriculture ministry. "MP farmers are worried about soyabean prices ruling below MSP. We received a proposal from the MP government on procurement yesterday night. We have approved it," Chouhan told reporters. Soyabean will be purchased at an MSP in Madhya Pradesh also, the minister said, asserting that the farming community is a priority for the government and he believes serving farmers is like worshipping God. Earlier, the Centre had given permission for procurement of soyabean at MSP rate in Maharasthra and Karnataka, he added.

Jharkhand excise constable recruitment drive held for 'votes': Chouhan

Union minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Sunday accused the Hemant Soren-led government of holding the excise constable recruitment drive for "votes" that claimed 12 lives. Chouhan, who is also the BJP Jharkhand election in-charge, arrived in Ranchi on Sunday to take stock of preparations for the assembly polls, which are due later year. "Seeing the election, the CM, who had promised five lakh jobs and understood that it cannot be fulfilled, made the youths run for 10 km. This led to the death of 12 youths," the Union Agriculture minister told reporters at Ranchi's Birsa Munda Airport. Chouhan said that the 10-km run did not happen anywhere. "Without proper arrangements, the Hemant Soren government hatched a conspiracy to mislead the youth in the greed for votes, which took the lives of many youths," he said. Chouhan alleged Soren knew that recruitment cannot be done at this time, no matter how many interviews are conducted. He alleged, "This is not a mere accident but murders tha

Centre to give Rs 3,448 cr assistance under SDRF to flood-hit AP, Telangana

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday announced an immediate assistance of Rs 3,448 crore to mitigate the impact of floods in Andhra Pradesh and Telangana. Chouhan, who is in Telangana today after reviewing the flood situation in Andhra Pradesh, said: "No one needs to be disappointed. We are working to provide immediate help". Presently, the arrangement is being made to provide immediate assistance of Rs 3,448 crore under the State Disaster Relief Fund (SDRF), which also includes the central government's share, he said. After providing immediate assistance, the government will think about making available fertilisers and seeds to farmers for the next crop, he added. The minister also assured the farming community that the Centre will provide appropriate compensation after the assessment of the crop damage. "We will ask the banks not to recover loans from farmers in times of crisis," he added. Chouhan conducted an aerial survey of crop damage in flood-hit areas of .

Chouhan assures full Central help to flood-affected Andhra Pradesh

The team, headed by Sanjeev Kumar Jindal, visited Vijayawada, the worst-affected place, to estimate the losses and destruction, said an official press release

Govt launches Rs 750 cr fund AgriSure for support to agriculture startups

Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday launched a Rs 750-crore fund 'AgriSure' to provide financial support to agritech startups even as he underlined the need for increasing public as well as private investments in the farm sector. The Union Cabinet on Monday approved seven schemes for the agriculture sector with an outlay of nearly Rs 14,000 crore. The minister was speaking after launching an integrated Agri Investment Portal named KrishiNivesh and 'AgriSure' fund at an event held here. The Rs 750-crore 'AgriSure' (Agri Fund for Startups & Rural Enterprises) will support startups and 'agripreneurs' by providing both equity and debt capital. Chouhan asked startups to utilise this fund and assured that there would be no fund constraints for agritech startups, which he said are playing an important role in the agriculture sector. "There is a need for investment in agriculture, not only from the government side but also private investments," he said, adding that

Use organic fertilisers to ensure soil does not turn infertile: Chouhan

Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Saturday urged farmers to switch to organic fertilisers to save the soil from turning infertile and also for the betterment of human health. The Union minister for agriculture and farmers welfare was interacting virtually with farmers and 'Swayampurna Mitras' (officials assigned to deliver government schemes) of Goa. Chief minister Pramod Sawant joined the interaction from here. It was aired across panchayats, municipalities and zonal agricultural offices in the coastal state. "Gradually, we have to switch towards organic farming. The use of chemical fertilisers is affecting the soil. If there is uninterrupted use of chemical fertilisers and pesticides, the soil will turn infertile. It is also bad for human health," Chouhan said while hailing the state government for providing thrust on organic farming by giving various subsidies. The 'Swayampurna (self sufficient) Goa' initiative is an example of how the government can use available ...

PM Narendra Modi to give out 1.1 million certificates to Lakhpati Didis

Chouhan said that several Didis will have their certificates delivered to their place of residence

Shivraj Singh Chouhan leads agriculture ministry in developed India pledge

In a move to align with the government's vision of a 'developed India' by 2047, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Friday led a pledge-taking ceremony with officials and staff from the agriculture and rural development ministries. The event, held at the Pusa campus in the national capital, saw participants vowing to contribute to India's development through their work in agriculture, farmer welfare, and rural development. "We resolve to do our part...with full hard work, honesty, dedication and by putting in all our capabilities," the pledge stated. Chouhan expressed confidence in his team's abilities, praising their talent, work ethic, and energy. He asserted that under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's leadership and with the collective efforts of all colleagues, the ministry would significantly contribute to realising the goal of a developed India. The ceremony underscores the government's push to mobilise all sectors towards its ambitious 2047 target, with agriculture

I-Day: Govt invites over 1,000 farmers, their spouses for special prog

The Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers' Welfare has invited more than 1,000 farmers and their spouses to the National Capital for a special two-day programme coinciding with the 78th Independence Day celebrations. The invitees, beneficiaries of central schemes like PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana and PM Fasal Bima Yojana, will interact with Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan at PUSA's Subramaniam Hall on August 15. Ministers of State Ramnath Thakur and Bhagirath Choudhary will also be present. On the occasion, Chouhan is set to launch the National Pest Surveillance System (NPSS), a digital initiative leveraging AI and machine learning to provide timely pest management advisories. The system, comprising a mobile app and web portal, aims to reduce crop losses and boost productivity through real-time data and advanced analytics. "NPSS will empower farmers with actionable insights, helping them make informed decisions to protect their crops," the ministry said in a statement.

Centre implementing several schemes for development of villages: Shivraj

Observing that the Union government is implementing several programmes for development of villages, Union Agriculture and Rural Development Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said poverty-free villages were his dream. The Minister was addressing the gathering after attending the 66th General Council meeting of the National Institute of Rural Development and Panchayati Raj here on Tuesday, an official release said. Chouhan also launched an online Gram Rozgar Sevak (GRS) course. Two MoUs with JNU, New Delhi, for PhD programmes and Indian Institute of Public Administration (IIPA), New Delhi, were signed. "Nobody should be poor in villages and everyone should be employed. Mahatma Gandhi's vision was Gram Swaraj. When we talk about the development of villages, infrastructural development takes the front seat. Villages need proper road connectivity, potable water, strong and spacious school buildings, Panchayat Bhawan, health facilities, etc," the release quoted him as saying. Recalling tha

Centre to unilaterally release its share of crop insurance premium

Replying to a Parliament question, Chouhan said that earlier farmers had to wait for their claims unless both the Centre and states released their share of the premium subsidy

Farmers pay Rs 32,440 cr premium; claims worth over Rs 1.64 trn cleared

Insurance claims of 1.64 lakh crore have been paid to farmers against Rs 32,440 crore premium paid under the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan said on Tuesday in the Lok Sabha. Replying to a question on the scheme during the Question Hour, he said the Modi government has made it farmer-friendly by removing inconsistencies in the previous scheme. The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) was introduced in the country in the Kharif 2016 season and is voluntary for the states, he added. Under the scheme, comprehensive risk coverage for crops against all non-preventable natural risks -- from pre-sowing to post-harvest stages of crops -- at a very reasonable premium for the farmers is being provided. "As against the premium of Rs 32,440 crore paid by farmers till date, claims of Rs 1.64 lakh crore have been paid out," the minister said. Therefore, 5 times more claims have been paid out when compared to the premium paid by the farmers, Chouh

Centre to invest Rs 18,000 crore to build agri-export clusters: Chouhan

Opposition Congress accuses Centre of misleading Parliament on the MSP issue

Shivraj Singh Chouhan lays down 6 priorities for growth of agri sector

The minister also said the agriculture sector was ignored, and priorities were misplaced during the Congress rule

UPA govt refused to provide 50% profit on cost to farmers: Agri minister

Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday said the previous UPA government had refused to provide 50 per cent profit on cost to farmers in the minimum support price for crops, as based on the formula suggested by the M S Swaminathan Commission. During the Question Hour in the Lok Sabha, Congress MP Deepender Hooda asked a supplementary question related to the farmers' protests of 2020-21 and said around 750 farmers lost their lives during the agitation. He asked if the government is considering providing jobs to the next of kin of those who lost their lives during the year-long protests at Delhi's borders against three contentious farm laws of the Centre that have since been repealed. Chouhan said the question was not related to the main question, which was on issues faced by farmers. "The government is totally committed to farmers' welfare," he said. The agriculture minister alleged that the Congress-led United Progressive Alliance (UPA) government had refused to ...