Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme helps meet farmers’ expenses other than agriculture such as education, medical, marriage, etc., a study conducted by IFPRI (International Food and Policy Research Institute) has said.

Replying to a query on the impact of PM-KISAN scheme in the Lok Sabha on Tuesday, Narendra Singh Tomar, Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, said IFPRI conducted a study on the scheme in Uttar Pradesh.

According to the study, the funds received by recipients under PM-KISAN are not only helping them with their agricultural needs, but funds are also catering to their other expenses such as education, medical, marriage, etc.

Referring to the report, he said the funds disbursed under the initiative have acted as a catalyst in rural economic growth, aided in alleviating the credit constraints for farmers and increased investments in agricultural inputs.

The scheme has enhanced farmers’ risk-taking capacity, leading them to undertake riskier but comparatively productive investments, he said.

A farmer-centric digital infrastructure has ensured the benefits of the scheme reach all the farmers across the country without any involvement of the middlemen. Maintaining absolute transparency in the process of registration and verification of beneficiaries, the Centre has so far disbursed over ₹2.41 lakh crore to over 11 crore farmers in the country, he said.

Cowsheds

Replying to a query on the number of cowsheds (gaushalas) in the country, Parshottam Rupala, Minister for Fisheries, Animal Husbandry and Dairying, said as per basic animal husbandry statistics the total number of gaushalas in the country is estimated at 7,676. Of them, the maximum number of cowsheds are located in Rajasthan at 2,269, followed by Gujarat at 1,418 and Madhya Pradesh at 905.

Avian influenza

To a question on avian influenza, Rupala said avian influenza (H5N1) was confirmed by the ICAR - National Institute of High-Security Animal Disease, Bhopal, from the samples of poultry from the government poultry farm at Bokaro in Jharkhand on February 17.

Giving the details of the information gathered from the States, he said 4,536 birds were affected by it from two epicentres of outbreak in Jharkhand, and 1.06 lakh birds were affected by H5N1 from 28 epicentres of outbreak in Kerala.

The States have been advised to carry out the control and containment operations as per the Action Plan for Prevention, Control and Containment of Avian Influenza (2021) and to maintain sufficient stock of PPE kits and other accessories required for the control and containment operations.

Under the ‘Assistance to States for Control of Animal Diseases’ (ASCAD), a Centrally sponsored component of Livestock Health and Disease Control Programme Scheme, financial assistance is provided to the farmers whose birds have been culled, eggs and feed destroyed due to confirmation of avian influenza on a 50:50 sharing basis between the Centre and the State governments, he said.

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