New Delhi, Sept 2026 : Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan on Tuesday handed over financial sanction letters worth more than Rs 1,200 crore to the agriculture ministers of 10 states under the Prime Minister Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojana (PM-RKVY), calling for stronger Centre-state coordination to accelerate agricultural development and improve farmers’ incomes.
The allocations include Rs 290 crore for West Bengal, Rs 198 crore for Haryana, Rs 181 crore for Chhattisgarh, Rs 154 crore for Arunachal Pradesh, Rs 114 crore for Bihar, Rs 104 crore for Karnataka, Rs 75 crore for Mizoram, Rs 64 crore for Himachal Pradesh, Rs 58 crore for Jharkhand and Rs 43 crore for Punjab.
Chairing a meeting of state Agriculture Ministers and senior officials, Chouhan said the Centre's role was not limited to policy formulation and that timely financial resources must also reach states so that schemes could be implemented without unnecessary delay. The meeting was held as part of the National Agriculture Conference-Rabi Campaign 2026.
Highlighting India's agricultural performance, Chouhan said the country's agriculture growth rate had increased from around 3 per cent in 2015 to 4.5 per cent. He also noted that the average annual increase in foodgrain production had more than doubled, from around 40 lakh tonnes earlier to 84 lakh tonnes. Between 2023-24 and 2025-26, rabi foodgrain production recorded an increase of 205 lakh tonnes, according to the minister.
To strengthen cooperative federalism, Chouhan announced regular monthly virtual meetings with states to review agricultural programmes and assess progress. At the state level, Agriculture Ministers and Secretaries will work with state agricultural universities, ICAR institutions, Krishi Vigyan Kendras, ATMA and Farmer Producer Organisations as part of a coordinated State Agriculture Team. District-level meetings will also be held regularly.
Chouhan also called for a nationwide ‘Khet Bachao Abhiyan’ from October 22 to November 30, focusing on soil health and environmentally sustainable farming. The campaign will promote balanced fertiliser use based on Soil Health Cards and involve scientists and other stakeholders. He also urged eastern states, particularly Jharkhand, Bihar, Odisha and West Bengal, to expand pulse cultivation in rice-fallow areas after the paddy harvest.
For the upcoming rabi season, Chouhan stressed that crop selection and seed recommendations should take into account soil moisture and water availability. He said seed and fertiliser supplies were adequate and directed states to take strict legal action against fake fertilisers, spurious seeds and substandard pesticides. The Centre has also been pressing states to adopt data-driven and water-based crop planning for Rabi 2026.
On farmers' returns, Chouhan emphasised post-harvest management, scientific warehousing and improved marketing systems. He said the government would ensure 100 per cent procurement of tur, urad and masoor at minimum support price, with arrangements for payment within 48 hours.
He also highlighted opportunities arising from international Free Trade Agreements, saying Indian agricultural products, fruits, vegetables and foodgrains could be connected more effectively with global markets. The objective, he said, was to provide farmers better returns while strengthening India's position as a major food supplier globally.
