Maharashtra has become the first state to qualify for the second instalment of funding under the Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana. The state utilized about Rs 260 crore out of the Rs 335 crore first instalment, surpassing the 75 per cent benchmark. Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, led a virtual review meeting to evaluate the fund utilization and consider releasing the second instalment to Maharashtra.
The review highlighted the satisfactory progress in the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture. The minister encouraged Maharashtra to increase spending on digital agriculture, agriculture extension, the National Horticulture Mission, seeds, oilseeds, and agroforestry components. Chouhan also recommended prompt booking of pending liabilities under the Seeds component to enhance fund utilization.
Chouhan praised Maharashtra for effectively implementing agricultural development programs, surpassing the required threshold for fund utilization. He stressed the importance of timely expenditure and continuous monitoring to ensure public funds are used for their designated purposes. The minister commended Maharashtra for issuing Farmer IDs promptly and providing financial aid to flood-affected farmers, transferring around Rs 14,000 crore directly to their bank accounts within five days.
A discussion during the meeting focused on the implementation of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana. Chouhan emphasized the necessity of accurate information disclosure by farmers when applying for crop insurance. He clarified that both Kisan Credit Card (KCC) and non-KCC farmers are eligible for crop insurance benefits, cautioning against concealing KCC status by applying through another account. The declaration on the portal aims to ensure transparency and accuracy of information without restricting benefits to eligible farmers.
