FM Sitharaman urges farmers to maximise gains using govt schemes

Union Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Wednesday urged farmers to take full advantage of government schemes such as the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises (PMFME) and Pradhan Mantri Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY) to make agriculture more profitable and sustainable.Speaking after inaugurating the Farmers’ Training and Common Facility Centre in Koppal district, Sitharaman, who represents Karnataka in the Rajya Sabha, said the new generation GST reforms will also play a key role in supporting the agrarian community and boosting rural incomes. The facility was established with funds from her Member of Parliament Local Area Development (MPLAD) allocation.
Highlighting the impact of the PMFME scheme, Sitharaman said it was launched to promote value addition in agricultural produce, offering both financial and technical assistance to farmers and small enterprises. “The government is committed to promoting rural entrepreneurship to create employment in villages. More than Rs3,700 crore has been provided by the Centre to states since 2020. Loans worth Rs11,000 crore have been sanctioned, and over one lakh agricultural entrepreneurs have emerged under the scheme,” she noted.
On the PM Dhan Dhanya Krishi Yojana (PMDDKY), the Finance Minister said, “A budgetary allocation of Rs24,000 crore has been made for 2025–26. Koppal is one of the districts identified to benefit from the scheme, which aims to boost agricultural productivity, promote crop diversification, and enhance livelihoods in 100 low-performing agricultural districts.”

Prime Minister has launched a new scheme - PM Dhan Dhaanya Krishi Yojana. Under this scheme, 100 districts across the country have been included, and Koppal district is one among them

ಪ್ರಧಾನಮಂತ್ರಿ ಅವರು ಹೊಸ ಯೋಜನೆ- ಪ್ರಧಾನಮಂತ್ರಿ ಧನ ಧಾನ್ಯ ಕೃಷಿ ಯೋಜನೆಗೆ ಚಾಲನೆ ನೀಡಿದ್ದಾರೆ. ಈ… pic.twitter.com/R9RFuf3bFO

— Nirmala Sitharaman Office (@nsitharamanoffc) October 15, 2025

Sitharaman further pointed out that 43 lakh farmers in Karnataka are currently benefiting from the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi Yojana, which provides Rs6,000 per year to farmers in three equal instalments through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT).Speaking about tax reforms, Sitharaman said the next-generation GST announced recently would further ease the burden on farmers. “Following Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s direction to reform GST, the Council introduced key changes during Navaratri. Taxes on farm equipment, solar power systems, tractors, and agricultural machinery have been reduced to 5 per cent from 12 per cent, while GST on bio-pesticides, micronutrients, and bio-fertilisers has also been cut,” she said, adding, “We want farmers to prosper.”The newly inaugurated NABARD-supported facility, developed in collaboration with the Karnataka government, will process and store 840 tonnes of mango and 600 tonnes of papaya annually. Products manufactured here will carry certification from the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).
Sitharaman mentioned that NABARD is providing specialised training to farmers to help them fully utilise the new infrastructure. “This is a major step toward improving the lives of annadatas (farmers) in Koppal district, which is known as the Akshaya Patra of North Karnataka,” she said.The Finance Minister also expressed gratitude to the Karnataka government for its support in facilitating the project and reaffirmed her commitment to using her MPLAD funds across all seven districts of Kalyana Karnataka, reflecting Prime Minister Modi’s vision of ‘Vocal for Local’ and inclusive rural development.

(State Correspondent)