Union Minister for Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare and Rural Development Shivraj Singh Chouhan inaugurated the three day National Pusa Krishi Vigyan Mela at the Indian Council of Agricultural Research campus in Pusa and presented a sweeping roadmap of reforms aimed at transforming Indian agriculture under the vision of Viksit Krishi and Atmanirbhar Bharat.
The annual fair, held at the Indian Agricultural Research Institute campus, was inaugurated with a ceremonial plantation. Present on the occasion were Devesh Chaturvedi, Agriculture Secretary; M L Jat, Director General of ICAR and Secretary, Department of Agricultural Research and Education; and C H Srinivas Rao, Director of IARI, along with scientists, progressive farmers and institutional representatives.
Placing farmers at the centre of policy discourse, Shivraj Singh Chouhan ensured they were seated prominently and personally interacted with participants, including assisting a differently abled farmer onto the stage. Seven farmers were honoured with the IARI Krishi Adhyeta Award, reinforcing the focus on farmer led development.
Issuing a strong warning against delays in payments, the Minister declared that withholding farmers’ dues would attract 12 percent interest on the pending amount. He stated that the practice of parking funds and delaying payments would not be tolerated. The Centre, he said, would ensure no delay from its side and is exploring mechanisms to transfer the central share of scheme funds directly into farmers’ accounts if states delay disbursal.
Highlighting gaps in implementation of agricultural mechanisation and irrigation schemes, he cited instances where sanctioned beneficiaries did not receive equipment despite funds being released. He stressed that releasing funds is insufficient unless benefits reach genuine farmers, and called for a strengthened monitoring framework under more than 18 centrally supported schemes.
On institutional reforms, Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced that Krishi Vigyan Kendras would be developed into district level agricultural reform command centres. These centres will serve as bridges between laboratory research and field application, ensuring that new crop varieties, innovative practices and successful models reach villages effectively.
Addressing agricultural credit, he reiterated that Kisan Credit Card loans are available at an effective interest rate of 4 percent and benefit nearly 75 percent of small farmers. However, he emphasised zero tolerance for delays in loan disbursal and called upon banks to ensure timely and hassle free credit access, reducing farmers’ dependence on informal lenders.
On pesticide regulation, the Minister acknowledged that lengthy and complex licensing procedures delay access to quality products. He indicated plans to simplify the system by reducing procedural layers, establishing clear timelines and enhancing transparency to enable faster market access for quality products while acting firmly against substandard and counterfeit inputs.
Regarding procurement at Minimum Support Price, Shivraj Singh Chouhan described the current three month procurement window as impractical. He proposed that, in coordination with states, procurement should be completed within one month so farmers receive immediate and fair prices, preventing exploitation and undue profiteering.
He also raised the issue of fertiliser subsidy, noting that over ₹2 lakh crore is spent annually to make urea available at around ₹265 to ₹270 per bag instead of its actual cost of approximately ₹2,400. He suggested examining whether such subsidies could be transferred directly to farmers’ accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer, allowing them to decide on the type and quantity of fertilisers required.
Outlining future strategy, the Minister detailed the Viksit Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan under which scientists will directly visit villages ahead of the kharif season beginning in April. The campaign aims to provide farmers with updated research findings, pest and disease management guidance, integrated farming models and export quality crop varieties in a time bound manner.
Describing the Pusa Krishi Vigyan Mela as a national congregation of farmers, scientists, entrepreneurs and policymakers, Shivraj Singh Chouhan said the platform ensures laboratory research reaches the field while shaping a roadmap for a modern, self reliant and developed agricultural sector. He directed IARI to expand the scale of the fair from next year to further strengthen its role in bridging science and farming practice.
Agriculture Reform, Pusa Mela, MSP Procurement, Kisan Credit, Fertiliser Subsidy, Krishi Vigyan, Direct Benefit, Farm Payments, Rural Development, Atmanirbhar Bharat
