Opinion | Cultivating a Viksit Bharat: Agriculture & Rural Transformation under Modi’s Vision

Taken together, these initiatives illustrate a holistic approach to agriculture and rural development. They address income, credit, risk management, markets, infrastructure, water, energy, sustainability, and social security in an integrated fashion

Agriculture has always been the backbone of India’s growth story. With nearly sixty percent of the population still dependent on farming for their livelihood, the sector is not only about food security but also about the social and economic well-being of millions of families spread across the villages of India. When Prime Minister Narendra Modi assumed office in 2014, he recognized that if India was to achieve the dream of becoming a developed nation by 2047, agriculture and rural transformation would have to be the central pillars of progress. The last decade has therefore witnessed a series of wide-ranging reforms and initiatives that have changed the landscape of rural India in significant ways.

One of the most far-reaching measures has been the introduction of direct income support for farmers through the PM-Kisan Samman Nidhi scheme. Since its launch in 2019, this scheme has ensured that every eligible farmer receives six thousand rupees annually, transferred directly into their bank accounts in three equal installments. The simplicity of this scheme has given farmers a predictable support system and reduced their dependence on moneylenders. It has touched the lives of more than twelve crore farmers, bringing small and marginal cultivators into the fold of state-backed financial security.Complementing this income support has been the Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana, launched in 2016, which has created one of the world’s largest crop insurance programs. Farmers today are protected from the devastating effects of natural calamities, pests, and diseases through a scheme that offers coverage at extremely low premiums. Since its inception, claims worth more than one and a half lakh crore rupees have been settled, providing a crucial safety net. For millions of farming families, this has meant that one bad season no longer translates into a cycle of debt and despair.

Credit access has also been expanded in an unprecedented manner. The Kisan Credit Card scheme, which was once limited in reach, has been revitalized and expanded under the Modi government. Today, more than seven crore active KCC accounts exist, and collateral-free loans of up to 1.6 lakh rupees are provided to farmers at highly subsidized interest rates. Timely repayment further reduces this interest to just four percent, making it easier for farmers to access working capital. Agricultural lending as a whole has risen from just over seven lakh crore rupees in 2014 to more than twenty-five lakh crore rupees today, a threefold increase that reflects the government’s focus on empowering cultivators financially.But rural transformation is not just about money; it is also about markets and technology. The launch of the National Agriculture Market, popularly known as eNAM, in 2016 marked a turning point in how farmers sell their produce. By connecting mandis across states to a digital platform, the scheme has enabled farmers to discover better prices, reduced the control of middlemen, and allowed transparent online trading. Today, more than 1,300 mandis are integrated and nearly two crore farmers are connected to this system, making it one of the largest digital agricultural marketplaces in the world. Alongside this, the government has also launched the ambitious AgriStack initiative under the Digital Agriculture Mission. This aims to build a comprehensive database of farmers linked to land records, soil health, and crop patterns, enabling customized advice, real-time solutions, and seamless access to government schemes.

Infrastructure for agriculture has also received unprecedented support. In 2020, the government launched the Agriculture Infrastructure Fund with an outlay of one lakh crore rupees to finance cold storage facilities, processing units, and farm aggregation centers. This has begun to reduce post-harvest losses, improve farm gate prices, and enable farmers to store their crops for better market timing. In addition, the government has announced a plan to create 700 million metric tons of storage capacity in the next five years, a scale that is set to transform India’s ability to manage surpluses and stabilize prices.Water and energy, the lifelines of farming, have also been addressed in a focused manner. The Per Drop More Crop component of the Pradhan Mantri Krishi Sinchai Yojana has expanded micro-irrigation coverage to nearly ten million hectares, improving water efficiency and raising yields. At the same time, the Pradhan Mantri KUSUM scheme has enabled farmers to install solar pumps with heavy subsidies, reducing dependence on diesel and conventional electricity. Farmers can even sell surplus solar power back to the grid, turning cultivators into green energy producers. Taken together, these programs not only enhance incomes but also contribute to sustainable farming practices that are crucial in the age of climate change.Soil health has been another priority. The Soil Health Card scheme, launched in 2015, has distributed more than 23 crore cards that give farmers detailed information on the nutrient status of their fields and recommendations for balanced fertilizer use. This scientific approach has improved productivity while reducing input costs. In parallel, the government has been pushing organic and natural farming. Through the Paramparagat Krishi Vikas Yojana and the recently launched National Mission on Natural Farming, lakhs of hectares have been brought under sustainable cultivation methods. A new mission with an allocation of more than 2,400 crore rupees is now encouraging natural farming across 750,000 hectares, directly benefiting nearly ten million farmers.

Beyond farming itself, the Modi government has promoted value addition and rural enterprise. The Pradhan Mantri Kisan SAMPADA Yojana and the PM Formalisation of Micro Food Processing Enterprises scheme are helping farmers move up the value chain by setting up food processing units, cold chains, and food parks. This has created rural jobs, reduced wastage, and increased farmer incomes. Agri-startups too have been encouraged under the RKVY-RAFTAAR program, which has supported more than a thousand startups with grants and incubation, making agriculture a fertile ground for innovation and entrepreneurship.The government has also looked after farmers’ social security. The PM Kisan Maandhan Yojana, launched in 2019, provides small and marginal farmers with a pension of three thousand rupees per month after the age of sixty, ensuring dignity in old age. This complements the other income and insurance measures, creating a comprehensive welfare net.Rural transformation also extends to community infrastructure. The Jal Jeevan Mission, launched in 2019, is working to provide every rural household with safe drinking water through tap connections, targeting 55 liters per person per day. This has been revolutionary for rural women and households that previously depended on distant water sources. Similarly, the Atal Bhujal Yojana is improving groundwater management in critical areas through community participation. On the social side, the Sansad Adarsh Gram Yojana encourages Members of Parliament to adopt villages and develop them holistically, creating replicable models of development.

Taken together, these initiatives illustrate a holistic approach to agriculture and rural development. They address income, credit, risk management, markets, infrastructure, water, energy, sustainability, and social security in an integrated fashion. The guiding philosophy has been to move farmers away from subsistence to prosperity, and to ensure that rural communities are not left behind in the journey toward a developed India.The results are visible. Farmers today enjoy better access to financial resources, have stronger protection against risks, and benefit from modern infrastructure and technology. Rural communities are experiencing improved quality of life with better water supply, energy security, and opportunities for enterprise. Most importantly, these initiatives reflect a long-term vision: to make agriculture sustainable, profitable, and modern, while retaining its role as the cultural and economic backbone of India. The Modi government’s efforts in this decade have laid a strong foundation, one that sees farmers not merely as food providers but as central partners in the building of a Viksit Bharat.

Author can be reached on aatiflonekashmir@gmail.com