Imphal, August 2: Manipur joined the nationwide celebrations of the 20th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme, with a state-level observance organized by the ICAR Research Complex for NEH Region, Manipur Centre, and its Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK) at the Lamphelpat campus.
The event was marked by enthusiastic participation from officials, farmers, and agricultural stakeholders. Speaking at the gathering, Dr. Anupam Mishra, Vice Chancellor of Central Agricultural University (CAU), Imphal, called the occasion a “significant milestone” in India’s agricultural development. He hailed PM-KISAN, launched in 2019, as one of the largest Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) initiatives globally and emphasized its impact in uplifting farmers across the country.
Dr. Mishra noted that the 20th instalment will transfer over ₹20,500 crore to the bank accounts of more than 9.7 crore farmers nationwide. He praised the scheme’s efficient governance, citing features like timely SMS alerts, mandatory KYC, and land record verification.
Highlighting the importance of the scheme for the Northeast, Prof. Ph. Ranjit Sharma, Director of Extension Education at CAU, encouraged eligible farmers—including members of Farmer Producer Organizations (FPOs) and Farmer Producer Companies (FPCs)—to enroll and avail the benefits.
The programme included the distribution of agricultural inputs to select farmers and featured a live telecast of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s national address marking the official release of the instalment. The event was also attended by Dr. Ch. Basudha Devi, Head of ICAR Manipur Centre, and Peter Salam, Director of Agriculture, Government of Manipur.
