More than 8.08 lakh farmers in Uttarakhand receive financial assistance under the scheme
State government working continuously to increase farmers' income and make agriculture more profitable: CM Dhami
Modern agricultural technology, horticulture, natural farming and food processing being promoted
Dehradun, October 2026 : Uttarakhand Chief Minister Pushkar Singh Dhami on Friday participated in the ‘PM-KISAN Utsav Diwas’ programme organised at Survey Auditorium, Hathibarkala, Dehradun, on the occasion of the release of the 24th instalment of the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) scheme.
On the occasion, Prime Minister Narendra Modi transferred ₹18,690 crore directly into the bank accounts of more than 9.34 crore farmers across the country through Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) from Banaskantha, Gujarat. Under this instalment, more than 8.08 lakh beneficiary farmers in Uttarakhand received a total of ₹161.96 crore.
The Chief Minister congratulated the beneficiary farmers of the state and expressed gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan. He said the PM-KISAN scheme was an important initiative providing financial support to farmers. When the first instalment was released in 2019, around four lakh farmers in Uttarakhand benefited from the scheme. The number of beneficiaries in the state has now increased to over eight lakh.
Dhami said that while soldiers play a crucial role in protecting the country, farmers have an equally important responsibility in ensuring its food security. Through their hard work, farmers not only produce food grains but also make a significant contribution to the country's economy and prosperity.
He said the Central Government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, was implementing several schemes to ensure the dignity, security and prosperity of farmers.
The Chief Minister highlighted the benefits of the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, which provides financial protection to farmers against crop losses caused by natural disasters. The Soil Health Card Scheme helps farmers adopt cultivation practices based on soil quality. He added that special attention was also being given to natural farming, modern agricultural technologies and the expansion of irrigation facilities.
Dhami said the state government was continuously working to increase farmers' income and make agriculture more profitable. Irrigation through canals has been made completely free in the state, while ₹200 crore has been earmarked in the budget to support farmers' income. More than 350 modern polyhouses have been established in Uttarakhand with an investment of around ₹115 crore to promote protected cultivation.
Considering the challenges of rain-fed agriculture in the hilly regions, the state government has approved the Uttarakhand Climate Responsive Rain-fed Farming Project with an outlay of ₹1,000 crore. The initiative aims to make agriculture more resilient and sustainable in changing climatic conditions.
The Chief Minister said new initiatives, including the Apple Policy, Kiwi Policy, Dragon Fruit Policy and State Millet Mission, had been introduced to promote fruit production and the cultivation of coarse cereals. Eligible farmers are being provided subsidies of up to 80 per cent for various activities under these schemes. The government aims to promote high-value crops suited to the state's geographical conditions to improve farmers' earnings.
He said the government was also focusing on developing cold chains, cold storage facilities, controlled-atmosphere storage and food-processing infrastructure to ensure remunerative prices for agricultural produce and minimise post-harvest losses.
Under the Mahak Kranti Policy, seven aroma valleys are being developed to promote aromatic farming, while cultivation of aromatic plants is being encouraged across 23,000 hectares. Efforts are also underway to promote Uttarakhand's millets and local agricultural products in national and international markets through the 'House of Himalayas' brand.
Dhami further said that ₹1,100 crore had been earmarked in the supplementary budget for the procurement of paddy and wheat. Special attention was also being given to hill agriculture, food processing, cooperatives, fisheries and beekeeping to create additional livelihood opportunities for farmers and strengthen the rural economy.
He said the combined efforts of farmers and the government were creating new opportunities in agriculture and horticulture in Uttarakhand. The Chief Minister urged farmers to supplement traditional cultivation with modern technologies, scientific farming practices and greater use of government schemes. He reiterated that the state government was committed to farmers' prosperity, higher agricultural production and the economic empowerment of rural areas.
Agriculture Minister Ganesh Joshi said the PM-KISAN scheme was playing an important role in meeting farmers' agricultural requirements. He added that the state government was encouraging the cultivation of aromatic and medicinal crops such as lavender and dandelion in the hill regions. These initiatives would help increase farmers' income and create new employment opportunities at the local level.
The Agriculture Minister also thanked Chief Minister Dhami for the decision to provide additional assistance from the state government to disaster-affected farmers over and above the prescribed disaster relief.
MLA Brij Bhushan Gairola, Uttarakhand State Farmers' Commission Chairman Rajendra Singh Chaudhary, Minister of State Pratap Singh Panwar, office-bearer Jyoti Kotiya, Agriculture Secretary Dr S.N. Pandey, Director General of Agriculture and Horticulture Dr Anand Srivastava and a large number of farmers were present at the programme.
