logo
PM Transfers Rs 2000 Each As 20th Installment OF PM-Kisan To Over 9.7 crore Farmers

PM Transfers Rs 2000 Each As 20th Installment OF PM-Kisan To Over 9.7 crore Farmers

India.com5 days ago
New Delhi: Prime Minister Narendra Modi has, for the second time, released the 20th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme from Kashi (Varanasi), transferring direct financial assistance to over 9.7 crore farmers across India. This instalment involves the disbursal of approximately Rs 20,500 crore into farmers' bank accounts through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT), ensuring transparency and the exclusion of middlemen.
PM-KISAN is a central sector scheme launched by the Government of India in December 2018, officially inaugurated by Prime Minister Modi in February 2019 in Gorakhpur, Uttar Pradesh. The scheme provides small and marginal land-holding farmers with minimum income support of ₹6,000 annually, delivered in three equal instalments of Rs 2,000 each. Funded entirely by the central government, the programme aims to supplement farmers' financial needs for agricultural inputs, reduce dependency on moneylenders, and enhance crop productivity and rural livelihood stability.
Originating as an extension of the Telangana government's successful Rythu Bandhu scheme, PM-KISAN is designed to provide direct income support to farmers nationwide. Since its launch, the scheme has disbursed over Rs 3.69 lakh crore to farmers through multiple instalments, empowering approximately 12 crore farmer families annually. The initiative is a key component of the government's focus on farmer welfare, rural development, and agricultural prosperity in India's vast agrarian economy.
By directly transferring funds to the Aadhaar-seeded bank accounts of eligible farmers, PM-KISAN ensures timely assistance without intermediaries, helping farmers invest in quality seeds, fertilizers, and other essential inputs. The scheme's continued rollout reflects the government's sustained commitment to strengthening the agricultural sector and improving the livelihoods of millions of small and marginal farmers across the country.
Orange background

Try Our AI Features

Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:

Comments

No comments yet...

Related Articles

Gujarat Confidential: Rakhi With a Message
Gujarat Confidential: Rakhi With a Message

Indian Express

time5 minutes ago

  • Indian Express

Gujarat Confidential: Rakhi With a Message

After themes like protecting Gujarat Against Terrorism, Beti Bachao, Global Warming, Swarnim Gujarat, Vanche Gujarat, Swachh Bharat Campaign, May the Martyrs Live Forever, Pride of Gujarat, Martyrs of Pulwama Attack, Paramveer Chakra, Corona Warriors, Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav, G20, Gita Shloka and Gita Study, students of a private school in Ahmedabad's Ghatlodia area have prepared a giant rakhi, measuring 100 feet, based on the theme of 'Operation Sindoor and Modi's 11 years of good governance'. The school claims to be making such rakhis on an annual basis for the last 19 years and presenting them to Gujarat chief ministers, including Narendra Modi, Anandiben Patel, Vijay Rupani and Bhupendra Patel.

Rewriting the rules of school in Andhra Pradesh
Rewriting the rules of school in Andhra Pradesh

The Hindu

time5 minutes ago

  • The Hindu

Rewriting the rules of school in Andhra Pradesh

The Telugu Desam Party-led NDA government in Andhra Pradesh is revisiting the education sector reforms introduced by its predecessor and is making changes wherever deemed necessary. Minister for Human Resources Development Nara Lokesh has stated that policies yielding positive outcomes will be retained, while those that failed to deliver tangible results will be rolled back. The task being both critical and challenging, the Minister is taking an objective and balanced view of the educational landscape, recognising that the well-being and future of students must remain at the heart of the new initiatives. Officials in the education department are assessing what has worked, what needs improvement, and how best to move forward without causing inconvenience to stakeholders. The task at hand is to cater to the needs of 58,535 schools, 68,15,925 students, and 3,13,112 teachers across the State. Of these, 44,285 are government schools with 33,37,762 students and 1,84,898 teachers; 789 are aided schools with 87,612 students and 3,259 teachers; 13,461 private schools with 33,90,551 students and 1,24,955 teachers. According to Mr. Lokesh, the TDP government inherited an education system in a state of paralysis, lacking essential frameworks and operational efficiency — a charge refuted by the YSR Congress Party, which has accused him of 'systematically weakening the education sector in the State.' The data show that the State has 12,512 single-teacher schools, 5,312 government schools with single-digit enrolment, and 14,052 State-run schools with 20 or fewer students. The overall enrolment in government schools declined by 10,49,596 students between 2022 and 2024. With declining learning outcomes, the government faces the formidable challenge of reversing the trend to secure children's futures. A recent survey suggested that 84.3% of Class III students could not read a Class-II level text, 62.5 % of Class V students struggled with basic reading, 47% of Class VIII students still could not read Class II level text, 59.1 % of Class III students could not perform basic subtraction, 54.8 % of Class VIII students could not perform division and only 12.9% and of Class III students could solve basic division problems. Citing the dismal result of the survey, Mr. Lokesh has rolled back his predecessor's initiatives such as transition of the government schools to the Central Board of Secondary Education (CBSE) in 2022-23 without sufficient preparation, implementation of TOEFL in State-run schools at a cost of ₹58.84 crore, and the move to adopt International Baccalaureate (IB) curriculum in government schools. A sum of Rs. 4.86 crore was paid for just the interim report for the proposed IB implementation. One of the most controversial decisions of the previous YSRCP government was GO 117, which reorganised schools and reapportioned teaching staff. The order divided schools into six categories and mandated the merger and de-merger of classes. The fragmentation of schools led to the number of schools having fewer than 10 students rising from 1,215 in 2021-22 to 5,312 in 2024-25, and schools with fewer than or equal to 20 students increasing from 5,520 to 14,052 during the same period, indicating a severe decline in student enrolment. To curb the ill effects of GO 117, the NDA government introduced GO 21, which revises the restructuring model by creating nine categories of schools. However, this faced trouble, with teacher unions raising serious concerns over its 'negative impact on the public education system'. GO 21 is part of the transformative journey called Learning Excellence in Andhra Pradesh, which aims to improve access, learning outcomes, and future-ready skills. The recently concluded 'Mega' DSC (District Selection Committee) exam, conducted to recruit 16,347 teachers in government schools after a gap of seven years, enhanced the government's image. Other welcomed steps include the introduction of academic star ratings to assess both student and teacher performance, targeted efforts to boost school enrolment in rural and tribal areas, and the consolidation of multiple teacher apps into a single platform. In intermediate education, curriculum and textbook revisions for first-year students are being implemented from the current academic year, aligning with the syllabus with national competitive standards. The revisions would be introduced for second-year students from the academic year 2026-27. The reach of the changes being made is very vast, and resistance to change is natural in large systems, especially when previous reforms are still being digested. The government should remain watchful of implementation gaps that often emerge. Due diligence is key to ensuring that the quality of learning improves without sacrificing stability.

Amid US strain, PM Narendra Modi set to visit China after 7 years
Amid US strain, PM Narendra Modi set to visit China after 7 years

Business Standard

time11 minutes ago

  • Business Standard

Amid US strain, PM Narendra Modi set to visit China after 7 years

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is set to travel to China at the end of this month — his first visit to the country in seven years — to attend the annual summit of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), government sources said on Wednesday. Ahead of his arrival in China, Modi is slated to visit Japan on August 29. A bilateral meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the SCO summit is also being planned, the sources said. While the government has yet to confirm such a meeting, it would likely attract global attention amid heightened tensions in both India–US and US–China relations, following the imposition of tariffs by American President Donald Trump. Ahead of Modi's trip, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi is expected to visit India for the latest round of the Special Representatives dialogue on the boundary question, according to officials. On Wednesday, Trump followed through on his warning to impose an additional 25 per cent tariff on Indian goods, citing New Delhi's continued purchase of Russian oil. The move raises the total US tariff on Indian imports to 50 per cent. Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin is also expected to attend the SCO summit, which is due to take place in the Chinese city of Tianjin from August 31 to September 1. India, China and Russia are not only members of the SCO but also of BRICS, which held its latest summit in Rio de Janeiro in July. Both Xi and Putin were absent from that gathering, sending deputies in their place. Sources in New Delhi have not ruled out a possible Modi–Putin meeting on the sidelines of the Tianjin summit. Ahead of the SCO, National Security Adviser Ajit Doval and External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar are scheduled to travel to Moscow. At the Rio summit, BRICS nations voiced concern over the rise in unilateral tariff and non-tariff measures that distort global trade and run counter to World Trade Organization rules, though the US was not named directly. In March, as Washington escalated tariffs on Chinese imports, Wang Yi called for stronger cooperation between New Delhi and Beijing to push back against 'hegemonism and power politics', stating that 'making the dragon and elephant dance is the only choice'. On April 1, marking the 75th anniversary of India–China diplomatic ties, Xi sent a message to President Droupadi Murmu, saying the two nations should aim for 'a cooperative pas de deux of the dragon and the elephant'. Modi and Xi last met on October 23, 2024, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit in Kazan, Russia. The encounter marked a thaw in relations after the severe deterioration triggered by the Galwan Valley clash between Indian and Chinese troops in June 2020. The Kazan meeting led to disengagement at two key friction points along the Line of Actual Control, completed by November 2024. It also paved the way for the resumption of the Mansarovar Yatra, tourist visas for Chinese citizens, and discussions on reviving direct flights. Nevertheless, relations between the two countries have remained bumpy in recent months. In April, India raised concerns over Chinese restrictions on the supply of rare earth elements. A month later, it said Beijing provided military assistance to Pakistan during 'Operation Sindoor', India's offensive to dismantle terrorist infrastructure across the border. According to Indian officials, Pakistan deployed Chinese weapons and drones, and benefited from Chinese intelligence during the conflict. India has also been working to deepen ties with several of China's neighbours. On Tuesday, India and the Philippines signed agreements aimed at enhancing military cooperation. Their navies also conducted joint exercises near Scarborough Shoal, an atoll in the South China Sea that is the focal point of a maritime dispute between Beijing and Manila. Modi last visited China in June 2018 for the SCO summit, while Xi last visited India in October 2019. In the run-up to the Tianjin summit, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh, Jaishankar, and Doval had all visited China for preparatory SCO meetings. The two sides have also revived the Special Representatives dialogue and other engagement mechanisms. Pakistan, too, is a member of the SCO. In June, Singh refused to endorse a draft joint statement by the bloc's defence ministers, citing its failure to mention the Pahalgam terror attack and omission of references to Pakistan-backed cross-border terrorism.

DOWNLOAD THE APP

Get Started Now: Download the App

Ready to dive into a world of global content with local flavor? Download Daily8 app today from your preferred app store and start exploring.
app-storeplay-store