The birth anniversary of the late Bharat Ratna Prime Minister Rajiv Gandhi will be observed on Sunday. To mark his birth anniversary, the State Government will distribute the second installment of the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana (RGKNY), amounting to Rs 1,894.93 crore, to the beneficiaries. Chief Minister Baghel will virtually transfer the amount to 24,52,592 farmers’ bank accounts in an event that will be held in the Mahasamund district on August 20. The scheme, aiming to assist farmers, will further provide subsequent installments of approximately Rs 4,000 crore in October and March. Allocating Rs 6,800 crore for the ongoing fiscal year, the Chhattisgarh Government anticipates an approximate outlay of Rs 8,000 crore for input subsidies under the scheme. This projection considered the substantial count of registered farmers, cultivated land, and paddy procurement from the previous Kharif season. Beneficiaries of the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana cover the farmers who indulge in the cultivation of paddy, kodo-kutki, ragi, pulses, oilseeds, other non-paddy crops, and tree-planting farmers.

 

The Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana was launched to reduce input agricultural expenses and encourage crop diversification. It offers a Rs 9,000 per acre input subsidy to Kharif crop cultivators. Launched in the 2019 Kharif season, the state government has distributed a total of Rs 20,103 crore as input subsidies to the farmers. Adding the upcoming second installment in this fiscal year, the cumulative figure will reach Rs 21,997.96 crore. Under the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana, 18.43 lakh paddy cultivators have received an amount of Rs 5,627.02 crore as an input subsidy, at the rate of Rs 10 thousand per acre, during the Kharif Season 2019, while during the Kharif Season 2020, 20.59 lakh paddy cultivators have received an amount of Rs 5553.08 crore as an input subsidy into their bank accounts. In the year 2021, the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan Nyay Yojana has expanded its scope to encompass all Kharif and horticulture crops, granting productive farmers an annual input subsidy of Rs 9,000 per acre. Moreover, in the 2020–21 period, a provision of Rs 10,000 per acre was extended for cultivating non-paddy crops, horticulture, or tree planting in regions where paddy was previously sold at the minimum support price. In the 2021 Kharif season, an input subsidy of Rs 7,028 crore was distributed to 23.35 lakh farmers cultivating crops other than paddy, and horticulture crops, directly into their bank accounts.

 

Chhattisgarh’s agriculture received a significant boost from the Rajiv Gandhi Kisan NYAY Yojana, as farmers benefit from input subsidies. The scheme sparks a renewed interest in farming; farmers who once gave up farming are now taking the profession back. The number of farmers selling paddy in State has witnessed a surge of over 11 lakh as compared to 2017-18, while procurement has doubled. Record paddy procurement has been consistently achieved since 2018–19. Chhattisgarh now ranks second nationwide in contributing to the Central Pool with its paddy supply. Remarkably, the state leads the nation in terms of farmers selling paddy at support prices, showcasing its agricultural prominence.