National Farmer's Day/ Kisaan Diwas 2022: Importance and Agricultural Policies

National Farmers Day

When is Farmer’s Day or Kisaan Diwas and Why It is Celebrated in India?

National Farmers Day also known as “Kisaan Diwas”. The 23rd of December is commemorated as Farmer's Day each year. Farmers Day is observed on the birthday of India's fifth prime minister, Choudhary Charan Singh, a farmer's leader who initiated numerous programs for the betterment of Indian farmers.

It is observed by holding a variety of events, including talks, seminars, quizzes, discussions, workshops, exhibitions, competitions for best essays, and celebrations. On this day, awareness activities and initiatives are held all throughout the nation to inform people about the function of farmers and their economic contribution.

Who is Chaudhary Charan Singh?

The fifth Prime Minister of the nation was Chaudhary Charan Singh, a farmer by birth. In the nation's Parliament, farmer leader Charan Singh spoke out in favor of his fellow farmers. The villages are where the "real India" is, he once claimed. And "the country will develop when the condition of the farmer improves." Chaudhary Charan Singh's time as prime minister was brief. He was born on December 23, 1902, in the Uttar Pradesh district of Hapur. But he put up a lot of effort to help the farmers.

During the period of 28 July 1979 to 14 January 1980, he served as the nation's prime minister. In order to better the lives and circumstances of the nation's farmers, Chaudhary Charan Singh established a number of initiatives during his administration.

By drafting measures for farmers' reforms, he also played a significant influence in the country's agriculture industry. Every year, Farmers Day is observed to raise public awareness of the value of farmers to the nation's overall economic and social growth. Farmers are seen as the foundation of India's economy. On May 29, 1987, Chaudhary Charan Singh passed away.

Importance of The Farmer’s Day or Kisaan Diwas?

Farmers, who are the foundation of society, have a significant impact on India's economic growth. As a result, this day is devoted to all Indian farmers in an effort to foster greater farmer enthusiasm and to foster greater national esteem. Even though they faced the greatest challenges and burned their skin to cultivate food for us, they remained poor and illiterate in the process. They should therefore receive both assistance and gratitude.

Around 12,000 years ago, domesticating livestock marked the beginning of the farming industry. So, it is among the oldest jobs still in existence. To supply the cattle in the necessary quantity, a farmer labors arduously day and night. Since they worked so hard, we should respect them and encourage others in a similar manner. The Green Revolution began to take shape in Punjab and Haryana in the 1960s, greatly altering the nation's agricultural landscape, raising production, and enabling India to become self-sufficient in a number of agricultural products.

A number of regulations, technology, and advancements have been made, yet India's agriculture is still in a terrible position. Indian farmers deal with yearly natural disasters like floods and droughts. Agriculture's progress and the nation's ability to sustain it were seriously threatened by the drastically rising suicide rate among farmers.

Agricultural Policies: The Farmers of India

Kisaan Diwas

A nation's agricultural policy is often created by the government to increase agricultural output and productivity as well as to raise the amount of income and standard of life for farmers within a set time frame. The agricultural sector is intended to be developed in its whole and in a roundabout way by means of these measures.

The primary goals of Indian agricultural policy are to address the major issues facing the sector, including the excessive and inefficient use of natural resources, the dominance of low-value agriculture, the poor cost-benefit ratio of sectoral activities, and the slow development of cooperative farming and other self-help institutions.

1. National Food Security Mission (NFSM): The NFSM plan focuses on enhancing existing equipment rather than buying new. Additionally, this programme helps keep machinery like tillers and other equipment in good condition. Consequently, the farm will be more productive. Even though increasing production was the major goal, numerous clusters also benefit from the effort.

2. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (RKVY): According to this plan, if the project is carried out, the government will provide a 100% subsidy. furthermore, seeks to aid in the development of the agricultural industry. The state official committee that approves the subsidy also verifies the farmer's request in this case because it is frequently a state plan scheme. Additionally, the governments launched this as a subset of the National Agriculture Development Programme.

3. PM-Kisan Scheme: With this government-sponsored programme, 120 million marginal and small Indian farmers who own less than 2 hectares of land will receive up to Rs. 6,000 annually. Cultivators would receive Rs. 6,000 in three instalments through the Pradhan Mantri Kisan programme.

4. Sub-Mission on Agricultural Mechanization (SMAM): By developing hubs that facilitate the acquisition of the kit, SMAM works to support small and marginal farmers. Additionally, every state in the nation frequently takes the lead in this regard. This was also a reaction to the severe pollution that was present during stubble burning. In Haryana, Delhi, Punjab, and Uttar Pradesh, adaption was therefore possible to reduce pollution. The SMAM programme stimulates the use of agricultural equipment through promoting FMTTIs (Farm Machinery Training and Testing Institutes) and providing financial aid.

5. Pradhan Mantri Kisan Maandhan Yojana: About 5 crore underprivileged farmers will benefit from this programme and receive a minimum pension of Rs. 3000 per month after they reach the age of 60. The programme will be available to those who fall between the age range of 18 to 40. According to this programme, farmers must make a monthly payment to the Pension Fund of between Rs. 55 and Rs. 200, depending on their entry-level age, until they reach retirement age of 60. The Government will contribute a comparable amount of money to the growers' pension fund.

6. Neem Coated Urea (NCU): This plan is being implemented to control the usage of urea, improve the crop's access to nitrogen, and lower the cost of applying fertilizer. By reducing the rate at which fertilizer is released, NCU effectively increases the crop's access to it. The total amount of urea produced domestically is now neem-coated thanks to the NCU initiative. It enhances management while lowering the value of agriculture.

7. Kisan Credit Card (KCC) Scheme: Another significant government programme that provides farmers with prompt access to loans is the KCC programme. In order to provide farmers with short-term formal finance, the Kisan Credit Card scheme was launched in 1998. To make sure that the credit needs of cultivators in the agricultural, fishing, and animal husbandry sectors were addressed, the Kisan Credit Card system was established. The KCC programme provides farmers with short-term loans for both equipment purchases and other needs. SBI, HDFC, ICICI, and Axis are just a few banks that offer KCC.

8. Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) Scheme and Restructured Weather-Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS):  In Kharif 2016, the PMFBY plan and the Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) were introduced to provide full crop coverage from pre to losses against unavoidable natural risks. For extremely low premium rates—1.5% for Rabi crops, 2% for Kharif crops, and 5% for annual commercial/horticultural crops—these programmes are the sole risk mitigation options accessible to farmers. The Central Government and State Governments split the remaining actuarial premium 50/50. The state-run programmes are optional and only available in the regions and agricultural commodities that have been alerted by the state governments. The Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) scheme, a government-sponsored crop insurance programme, will unite various stakeholders on a single platform.

9. Soil Health Card: to inform farmers about the necessary nutrients and fertilizers for their crops in order to assist them in increasing farm productivity. This plan examines the condition of the soil, or more accurately, it provides a comprehensive assessment of the soil's performance, including all of its biological qualities, water and nutrient content, and characteristics. In order to get a greater yield, a farmer should use the corrective procedures that are included in it.

10. Pashu Kisan Credit Card Scheme: For livestock farmers, the Indian government has introduced the "Pashu Kisan Credit Card" to help the animal husbandry industry flourish. The first state to offer Pashu Kisan Credit Cards to farmers is Haryana.

11. Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana (PKVY): The goal of the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana is to promote organic farming in India. to increase the amount of organic matter in the soil, as well as its health, and to increase the farmer's net income in order to realise higher prices. The Soil Health Management (SHM) programme may include PKVY as a component. This programme provides long-term soil fertility building up, resource conservation, and the provision of safe and wholesome food without the use of agrochemicals. It also aspires to create models of excellence. Additionally, it intends to give farmers more control by using a cluster strategy, producing inputs, ensuring their quality, adding value, and marketing their products in creative ways.

12. Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana: Agro-processing, strengthening of laboratories for internal control activities, production of quality products, agriculture mechanisation, improvement of soil health, watershed activities, strengthening of market infrastructure and marketing development, infrastructure to promote extension, support for organic and biofertilizers, research activities by the state agricultural universities, certified/HYV seed supply to farmers, and research.

13. Gramin Bhandaran Yojna: The major goal is to develop scientific storage capacity with supporting facilities in rural areas. Farm products, processed farm produce, and agricultural supplies are stored to satisfy farmer needs. To increase their marketability, agricultural products should be encouraged for grading, standardisation, and internal control.

14. Krishi Bhagya: This program's primary objective is to increase farm productivity while also improving the situation of rain-fed agriculture. Additionally, this seeks to promote agriculture's sustainable growth. emphasis is placed on encouraging drier horticulture and water saving. Farm ponds, polythene lining/alternative lining models, diesel pump sets, micro-irrigation drip sprinklers, and shad net around the farm ponds are the elements of the Krishi Bhagya programmes.


National Farmers Day   Kisaan Diwas 2022   Importance of National Farmers Day   Kisaan Diwas   Agricultural Policies   Who is Chaudhary Charan Singh   Importance of Farmers Day   Farmers of India   Policies for farmers  


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