Agriculture has always been the backbone of India’s growth story. With nearly 60% of the population still dependent on farming, the sector is not only about food security but also about the economic and social well-being of millions of families. Recognising this, Prime Minister Narendra Modi placed agriculture and rural development at the heart of his vision for a Viksit Bharat (developed India) by 2047. Over the past decade, a series of reforms and schemes have transformed the rural landscape in unprecedented ways.
Direct Support & Risk Management
The PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi launched in 2019 has become a lifeline for over 12 crore farmers, offering predictable annual income support of ₹6,000 directly into their bank accounts. Complementing this, the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (2016) created one of the world’s largest crop insurance systems, settling claims worth over ₹1.5 lakh crore and shielding farmers from debt cycles caused by crop loss.
Expanding Credit Access
The revitalised Kisan Credit Card scheme now covers more than 7 crore active accounts, offering collateral-free loans up to ₹1.6 lakh at highly subsidised rates. Agricultural lending has tripled—from ₹7 lakh crore in 2014 to over ₹25 lakh crore today—empowering farmers with greater financial independence.
Markets & Digital Transformation
The eNAM digital marketplace, connecting 1,300 mandis and 2 crore farmers, has enabled transparent online trading and reduced middlemen influence. Alongside, the AgriStack initiative under the Digital Agriculture Mission is building a database integrating land records, soil health, and crop patterns to deliver customised solutions.
Agriculture Infrastructure & Storage
The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (₹1 lakh crore) is financing cold storages, processing units, and aggregation centres, reducing wastage and improving farm-gate prices. Plans to create 700 million metric tonnes of storage capacity in five years promise to revolutionise surplus management and price stability.
Water, Energy & Sustainability
Schemes like Per Drop More Crop under PM Krishi Sinchai Yojana have expanded micro-irrigation across 10 million hectares, while PM-KUSUM promotes solar pumps and clean energy, turning farmers into renewable power producers. Meanwhile, the Soil Health Card scheme has provided 23 crore farmers with scientific input recommendations, lowering costs and improving yields. Natural farming is being scaled up through the National Mission on Natural Farming with ₹2,400 crore allocated.
Value Addition & Rural Enterprise
Through the PM Kisan SAMPADA Yojana and food processing schemes, farmers are moving up the value chain, creating jobs and reducing losses. Over 1,000 agri-startups have been supported under RKVY-RAFTAAR, boosting innovation in rural India.
Social Security & Community Development
The PM Kisan Maandhan Yojana ensures a pension of ₹3,000 per month for small farmers above 60, securing dignity in old age. Initiatives like Jal Jeevan Mission (tap water to every rural household), Atal Bhujal Yojana (groundwater management), and Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana (holistic village adoption) have further strengthened rural communities.
A Holistic Transformation
Together, these initiatives address income, credit, risk, markets, infrastructure, water, energy, sustainability, and social security—an integrated model of growth. The guiding philosophy has been to elevate farmers from subsistence to prosperity and to ensure that villages are not left behind in India’s development journey.
The results are clear: farmers today have stronger financial security, better access to technology and markets, and improved quality of life in rural areas. Most importantly, these measures reflect a long-term vision—to make agriculture sustainable, profitable, and central to India’s ambition of becoming a Viksit Bharat by 2047.