Union Minister of Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare, Shivraj Singh Chouhan, held a high-level meeting on August 14 in New Delhi with agriculture ministers, senior officials, and scientists from various states. The discussions focused on Rabi crop preparedness, fertilizer and urea availability, certification of bio-stimulants, promotion of natural farming, pulses and oilseeds production, a five-year agricultural roadmap, settlement of crop insurance claims, and redressal of farmer grievances.
The Minister announced that the Developed Krishi Sankalp Abhiyan will be formally launched on October 3, 2025, coinciding with Vijay Parv, and will continue until October 18 (Dhanteras). Ahead of this, a two-day national conference will be held in New Delhi on September 15–16, where the participation of state agriculture ministers and senior officials has been made mandatory.
A dedicated meeting on the National Mission on Natural Farming will be held on August 23. Progress on the Pradhan Mantri Dhan-Dhanya Yojana was also reviewed. The Minister urged states to give top priority to pulses and oilseeds production and take ownership in driving this mission forward.
Several states requested additional urea supplies during the meeting. In response, Mr. Chouhan assured that genuine agricultural needs would be met, but warned of strict action against misuse or black marketing. He directed states to form monitoring committees to ensure that urea is used strictly for farming purposes.
Highlighting the issue of unregulated products, the Minister revealed that while 30,000 bio-stimulants were previously sold in the market, only 600 have been certified so far. He directed that farmers should be supplied only certified bio-stimulants, and warned against forcing additional products along with fertilizers.
On the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, the Minister emphasized complete transparency and assured that eligible farmers will receive compensation directly in their bank accounts. If any insurance company or state government delays settlements, they will have to pay 12% additional interest. He also instructed the wide promotion of the Ministry’s toll-free helpline for farmers.
States Put Forward Their Demands:
The meeting saw active participation from Rajasthan, Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, Bihar, Karnataka, Uttarakhand, Chhattisgarh, Gujarat, and Punjab. While many states pressed for increased urea supply, Uttarakhand and Uttar Pradesh sought additional financial assistance for crop losses due to natural calamities.
‘Farmers’ Welfare is Top Priority under PM Modi’s Leadership’:
Concluding the meeting, Mr. Chouhan reaffirmed that under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the government will never compromise on the interests of farmers and the agriculture sector. He assured that the Centre remains fully committed to safeguarding the welfare of farmers, livestock rearers, and fishers across the country.
