National Agriculture Conference: Union Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan Hands Over Sanction Letters Worth ₹1,200 Crore to 10 States

On the second day of the 'National Agriculture Conference - Rabi Campaign-2026' held in New Delhi, agriculture ministers and senior officials from various states participated under the chairmanship of Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan, Union Minister for Agriculture & Farmers Welfare and Rural Development. During the conference, the Union Minister presented financial sanction letters totaling over ₹1,200 crore to the agriculture ministers of 10 states under the Pradhan Mantri National Agriculture Development Scheme (PM-RKVY).

According to the details of the financial assistance distribution, sanction letters were issued to West Bengal for ₹290 crore, Haryana for ₹198 crore, Chhattisgarh for ₹181 crore, Arunachal Pradesh for ₹154 crore, Bihar for ₹114 crore, Karnataka for ₹104 crore, Mizoram for ₹75 crore, Himachal Pradesh for ₹64 crore, Jharkhand for ₹58 crore, and Punjab for ₹43 crore. Shri Chouhan stated that the central government is providing resources to the states in a timely manner to ensure the immediate implementation of schemes on the ground.

The Union Minister emphasized that under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the center and states must rise above party politics and work with the spirit of 'Team Agriculture' for the food security of the country and the livelihoods of farmers. He noted that since 2015, the country's agricultural growth rate has increased from 3 percent to 4.5 percent, and the average annual increase in food grain production has risen from 40 lakh tonnes to 84 lakh tonnes per year. Additionally, an increase of 205 lakh tonnes in Rabi food grain production was recorded between 2023-24 and 2025-26.

To strengthen cooperative federalism, a new operational methodology has been announced. Virtual review meetings will now be held with the states every month. An annual calendar has been established for the preparation of agricultural campaigns, under which district-level meetings for Kharif will be held on May 10 and state-level meetings on May 17 each year. Similarly, for the Rabi campaign, district-level meetings will be organized on September 10 and state-level meetings on September 17.

For soil health and environmental protection, the Union Minister called for a nationwide 'Khet Bachao Abhiyan' (Save the Farm Campaign) from October 22 to November 30. This campaign will emphasize the balanced use of fertilizers based on Soil Health Cards. Furthermore, pulse cultivation will be encouraged in fields that remain vacant after the paddy harvest (rice fallow) in eastern states such as Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha, and West Bengal.

Adopting a 'zero tolerance' policy toward fake fertilizers, inferior seeds, and substandard pesticides, Shri Shivraj Singh Chouhan stated that cheating farmers is a crime against the nation. He instructed the states to take strict legal action against such elements.

To ensure better prices for farmers, the government is focusing on post-harvest management and scientific storage. He announced that 100% government procurement of Tur, Urad, and Masur will be ensured at the MSP, with payments processed within 48 hours. Additionally, the goal has been set to make India a leading global 'food basket' by connecting Indian agricultural products to global markets through international Free Trade Agreements (FTAs).