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Govt raises Agri budget sharply to Rs 1.27 Lakh crore
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Thursday, 04 December, 2025, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Our Bureau, New Delhi
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The Government of India is ramping up support for farmers through an ambitious expansion of centrally-funded programmes gearing up a massive boost in agriculture funding and rural welfare schemes that aim to ensure higher incomes, better infrastructure and comprehensive support for farm families nationwide.
Under the umbrella of Department of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare (DA&FW), the “overall development” initiative spans a wide array of sectors that is from guaranteed Minimum Support Prices (MSP), crop insurance and agricultural loans, to irrigation, storage, marketing, organic farming, technology adoption and agri-exports.
Reflecting greater commitment, the budget allocation for DA&FW has surged from Rs 21,933.50 crore in 2013-14 to a whopping Rs 1,27,290.16 crore for 2025-26. The increase is expected to support a network of central and centrally-sponsored schemes to help farmers increase production and get remunerative returns.
Thanks to convergence under these schemes, about 75,000 farmers have reportedly doubled their income, according to Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR).
Data from national surveys reveals a positive trend in rural incomes: the average monthly income per agricultural household rose from Rs 6,426 in 2012-13 to Rs 10,218 in 2018-19. Meanwhile, recent household-consumption statistics show rural MPCE jumped to Rs 4,122 in 2023-24, while urban MPCE rose to Rs 6,996 — narrowing the urban-rural consumption gap.
Key flagship initiatives under this drive include:
- Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) – annual direct income support to cultivable landholding farmers.
- Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (PMFBY) and Restructured Weather Based Crop Insurance Scheme (RWBCIS) – crop and weather-linked insurance covering over four crore farmers annually.
- Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) – mobilising long-term credit for post-harvest infrastructure and community farming assets.
- Pradhan Mantri Annadata Aay SanraksHan Abhiyan (PM-AASHA) – ensuring remunerative prices for pulses, oilseeds and copra.
- National Mission on Natural Farming (NMNF) – promoting organic farming and sustainable agriculture across large land clusters.
- Sub-Mission on Agriculture Mechanization (SMAM), soil-health initiatives, agroforestry, crop diversification, micro-irrigation and many more — together transforming Indian agriculture from traditional to modern, efficient and sustainable.
In short the government’s sweeping push over infrastructure, credit, insurance, income support and sustainable farming practices signals a new phase for rural India: one where agriculture isn’t just about growing crops, but also about ensuring stable livelihoods, higher incomes and resilience against uncertainties.
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