Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Wednesday said the Centre is fast-tracking long-pending irrigation and river-linking projects, while rolling out a series of reforms aimed at boosting farmer incomes, ensuring quality inputs and driving a digital transformation in agriculture.
Replying to a discussion in the Lok Sabha, Chouhan asserted that the government led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi is focused on “transforming society and improving lives,” rather than merely administering programmes.
Irrigation push and river-linking projects
The Minister said that several major irrigation schemes that had remained stalled for decades are now being revived under the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana. Of 140 major projects, 99 had seen little progress earlier, but are now being expedited to expand irrigation coverage to nearly 2.7 million hectares of farmland.
He also highlighted renewed momentum in river-linking initiatives, particularly the Ken-Betwa River Linking Project, which aims to address recurring floods and droughts in parts of Madhya Pradesh and Uttar Pradesh.
New laws to curb substandard farm inputs
Chouhan announced that the government is preparing to introduce new legislation to regulate agricultural inputs, including a revamped seed law and pesticide law. The move is aimed at cracking down on what he described as the “seed–fertiliser-pesticide mafia.”
He said stricter norms have already been enforced for bio-stimulants, with only about 500 out of nearly 8,000 products meeting scientific standards set by institutions such as the Indian Council of Agricultural Research.
Digital agriculture gains momentum
Highlighting the government’s push for technology-driven farming, Chouhan said nearly 9 crore Farmer IDs have been generated under the Digital Agriculture Mission. These IDs are expected to streamline access to credit, subsidies and other services by integrating farmers’ land and crop data.
He also announced the rollout of an AI-based platform, “Bharat Vistaar,” which will allow farmers to seek real-time advice on crop diseases, input use and crop selection through images or helplines in local languages.
Focus on natural farming and soil health
The Minister reiterated the government’s emphasis on sustainable agriculture through natural farming, noting concerns over excessive chemical fertiliser use. Under the Natural Farming Mission, the government plans to reach one crore farmers, train 18 lakh cultivators and expand coverage to 75 lakh hectares.
He said scientific studies suggest natural farming can reduce input costs while maintaining or even improving productivity.
State-specific roadmaps and MSP support
Chouhan said the Centre is working with states to develop region-specific agricultural roadmaps based on agro-climatic conditions, helping identify suitable crops and value chains at the district level.
He also underlined continued support through Minimum Support Price (MSP) procurement and direct benefit transfers under schemes such as Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi.
Vision for farmer welfare
Concluding his remarks, the Minister said the government’s goal is to enhance farmers’ incomes, strengthen rural prosperity and build a self-reliant India. He emphasised that reforms in irrigation, technology, input quality and sustainability together form the foundation for achieving a “developed India” vision.
