Lok Sabha Question No. 2742 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2025-08-05
Subject: Support for Women Farmers
Ministry: AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE
Asked by: Dr. Gumma Thanuja Rani

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA

## MINISTRY OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE

## LOK SABHA UNSTARRED QUESTION No. 2742

TO BE ANSWERED ON 5 th  AUGUST, 2025

## SUPPORT FOR WOMEN FARMERS

2742. Dr. Gumma Thanuja Rani:

Will the Minister of AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण मंũी be pleased to state:

(a) whether the Government  has  implemented  any  schemes  for  providing financial and infrastructural support to women farmers, if so, the details thereof and if not, the reasons therefor;

(b) whether the Government has any data on number of women beneficiaries under PM-KISAN scheme, State-wise; and

(c)  the steps taken to impart training and awareness about various central schemes in agricultural sector?

## ANSWER

THE MINISTER of State for AGRICULTURE AND FARMERS WELFARE क ृ िष एवं िकसान कʞाण राǛ मंũी (SHRI RAM NATH THAKUR)

(a ) : The Government is implementing schemes and programmes for the farmers including women farmers for providing financial and infrastructural support, as per the eligibility and conditions existing in the scheme guidelines.

The brief details of the schemes for providing infrastructural and financial support to the farmers including women farmers are as under:

- i. The Agriculture Infrastructure Fund (AIF) was launched in 2020 as part of the Atmanirbhar Bharat Initiative, is a Central Sector Scheme under the Ministry of Agriculture and Farmers welfare designed to drive innovation and boost infrastructure across the agriculture value chain. This initiative aims to empower farmers including women farmers and boost their incomes  by  offering  medium-to  long-term  credit  at  subsidized  rates,  AIF  supports  the creation of post-harvest management facilities and other essential farming assets. Under the AIF, loans are offered for infrastructure projects at farm- gate and aggregation points. Additionally, the scheme benefits borrowers from an interest subvention of 3% per annum on loans up to ₹2 crore for a duration up to seven years.
- ii. The  Ministry  of  Agriculture  and  Farmers  Welfare  under  the  Integrated  Scheme  for Agriculture  Marketing  (ISAM)  is  implementing  the  Agricultural  Marketing  Infrastructure (AMI) scheme, This scheme is a capital investment, open ended, demand driven and credit linked implemented  wherein back ended subsidy of 33.33% is available to women, SC/ST promoters, Farmer Produce Organizations (FPOs), NER and hilly areas and subsidy of 25% for plain areas.
- iii. The Central Sector Scheme 'Namo Drone Didi' for providing drones to the women Self Help Groups (SHGs) with an outlay of Rs.1261 crores has been approved. The scheme aims to provide drones to 15000 selected women SHGs for providing rental services to farmers for agriculture purpose (application of fertilizers and pesticides).
- iv. Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH),a centrally sponsored scheme under which assistance is available for farmers including women farmers for development of  Post-Harvest  Management  (PHM)  for  perishable  horticulture  crops  which  includes establishment of Pack House, Integrated Pack House, Pre-Cooling, Staging Cold Room, Cold Storages, Controlled Atmosphere (CA) Storage, Reefer Transport, Primary/Mobile Processing  units,  setting  up  of  Ripening  Chambers  and  Integrated  Cold  Chain  Supply System etc.
- v. The Central Sector Scheme namely National Beekeeping and Honey Mission (NBHM) is being implemented  for promoting scientific beekeeping for holistic growth of beekeeping industry for income & employment generation, providing livelihood support to farm and nonfarm  households  including  women  farmers,  to  enhance  agriculture  /  horticulture production. Under the scheme thrust is given on awareness, capacity building/ trainings, focus on women empowerment through beekeeping, setting up of requisite infrastructural facilities, viz.; Integrated Beekeeping Development Centres (IBDCs), Honeybees Disease Diagnostic  Labs,  Setting/  upgradation  of  Honey  Testing  labs,  Beekeeping  Equipment Manufacturing Units, Custom Hiring Centres, Api-therapy Centres, Development of Quality Nucleus Stock Centres, Bee Breeders, Processing, Value-Addition, Market Support, etc. and Research & Technology generation.
- vi. Under Modified Interest Subvention Scheme (MISS), a 100% centrally funded scheme under which, Kisan Credit Card (KCC) loans are provided at a subsidized interest rate of 7%  per  annum,  with  1.5%  Interest  Subvention  (IS)  to  financial  institutions  and  an additional  3%  Prompt  Repayment  Incentive  (PRI)  for  timely  repayment,  reducing  the effective rate to 4% for loans up to ₹3 lakh. For allied activities, the limit is ₹2 lakh. To enhance access, including for women farmers, awareness is being created through IEC campaigns  by  banks,  State/Central  Governments,  RBI,  NABARD,  etc.,  and  through digital platforms like the Kisan Rin Portal. The collateral-free credit limit has also been enhanced from ₹1.6 lakh to ₹2 lakh w.e.f. 1st January 2025.
- vii. Deendayal  Antyodaya  Yojana-National  Rural  Livelihood  Mission  (DAY-NRLM)  is  a flagship poverty alleviation programme implemented exclusively through women. During FY 2022-23 to 2024-25, 2.58 crore women farmers were trained in agro-ecological and livestock  management  practices,  and  2.50  lakh  Krishi/Pashu  Sakhis  were  trained  as community  resource  persons.  Additionally,  503  Krishi  Sakhis  were  trained  as  Drone Sakhis, 70,021 Self Help Group (SHG) women were trained in Natural Farming, and 800 women-owned  producer  companies  were  promoted  under  the  Farmers  Producer Organisation  (FPO)  Scheme.  The  Department  of  Animal  Husbandry  has  trained  and recognized 7,294 Pashu Sakhis as A-HELP (Livestock Resource Persons).

(b): The Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM-KISAN) is a Central Sector Scheme, being implemented w.e.f. 1st December, 2018. The Scheme aims at providing financial assistance to all landholding farmers' families including women farmers across the country, subject to certain exclusion  criteria,  to  enable  them  to  take  care  of  expenses  related  to  agriculture  and  allied activities as well as domestic needs. Under the Scheme, an amount of Rs. 6000/- per year is transferred in three 4- monthly instalments of Rs.2000/- directly into the bank accounts of the farmers. The State-wise details of women beneficiaries benefitted by 19 th  Instalment under PMKISAN (as on 30.06.2025) is at Annexure.

(c):  Trainings  are  imparted  to  farmers,  including  women  farmers,  under  various  Centrally Sponsored and Central Sector Schemes of the Ministry of Agriculture & Farmers Welfare, as per the  eligibility  criteria  laid  down  in  the  scheme  guidelines.  The  ATMA  Scheme,  currently operational in 740 districts across 28 States and 5 UTs, provides training to women in agriculture and allied sectors. In addition, the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) through the Central Institute for Women in Agriculture (CIWA), Bhubaneswar, and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) also conducts need-based training programmes for farmers. Information on schemes is disseminated through electronic,  print,  and  social media,  as  well  as through  events  such  as workshops,  seminars,  and  exhibitions.  As  part  of  awareness  initiatives,  the  Government organized  the  Viksit  Krishi  Sankalp  Abhiyan  from  29 th   May  to  12 th   June  2025,  wherein 1,35,42,105 farmers, including 39,72,412 women farmers, participated.

The State-wise details of women farmers beneficiaries benefitted during 19 th  Instalment under PMKISAN (as on 30.06.2025)

|         |                                              | Women Farmers                                | Women Farmers             |
|---------|----------------------------------------------|----------------------------------------------|---------------------------|
| SI. No. | State                                        | No. of Beneficiaries                         | Amount transferred in Cr. |
| 1.      | ANDAMAN AND NICOBAR ISLANDS                  | 4,976                                        | 1.20                      |
| 2.      | ANDHRA PRADESH                               | 14,31,344                                    | 307.24                    |
| 3.      | ARUNACHAL PRADESH                            | 50,157                                       | 11.83                     |
| 4.      | ASSAM                                        | 5,06,271                                     | 120.45                    |
| 5.      | BIHAR                                        | 23,45,600                                    | 493.48                    |
| 6.      | CHHATTISGARH                                 | 5,09,072                                     | 125.53                    |
| 7.      | DELHI                                        | 1,921                                        | 0.45                      |
| 8.      | GOA                                          | 888                                          | 0.19                      |
| 9.      | GUJARAT                                      | 14,59,891                                    | 343.77                    |
| 10.     | HARYANA                                      | 2,77,043                                     | 65.01                     |
| 11.     | HIMACHAL PRADESH                             | 1,45,266                                     | 37.08                     |
| 12.     | JAMMU AND KASHMIR                            | 93,163                                       | 22.90                     |
| 13.     | JHARKHAND                                    | 6,66,699                                     | 266.56                    |
| 14.     | KARNATAKA                                    | 10,48,919                                    | 220.19                    |
| 15.     | KERALA                                       | 12,78,723                                    | 290.32                    |
| 16.     | LADAKH                                       | 3,001                                        | 0.64                      |
| 17.     | LAKSHADWEEP                                  | 1,153                                        | 0.25                      |
| 18.     | MADHYA PRADESH                               | 17,65,105                                    | 384.11                    |
| 19.     | MAHARASHTRA                                  | 18,45,539                                    | 409.09                    |
| 20.     | MANIPUR                                      | 98,871                                       | 80.59                     |
| 21.     | MEGHALAYA                                    | 1,34,593                                     | 32.85                     |
| 22.     | MIZORAM                                      | 55,441                                       | 22.79                     |
| 23.     | NAGALAND                                     | 1,03,468                                     | 28.07                     |
| 24.     | ODISHA                                       | 8,76,974                                     | 255.95                    |
| 25.     | PUDUCHERRY                                   | 2,963                                        | 0.62                      |
| 26.     | PUNJAB                                       | 10,787                                       | 2.66                      |
| 27.     | RAJASTHAN                                    | 24,18,281                                    | 597.28                    |
| 28.     | SIKKIM                                       | 8,303                                        | 2.09                      |
| 29.     | TAMIL NADU                                   | 5,07,939                                     | 112.43                    |
| 30.     | TELANGANA                                    | 8,82,338                                     | 186.08                    |
| 31.     | DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI AND DAMAN AND DIU 2,731 | DADRA & NAGAR HAVELI AND DAMAN AND DIU 2,731 | 0.60                      |
| 32.     | TRIPURA                                      | 54,819                                       | 12.28                     |
| 33.     | UTTAR PRADESH                                | 46,34,478                                    | 1,199.72                  |
| 34.     | UTTARAKHAND                                  | 1,43,662                                     | 33.07                     |
| 35.     | WEST BENGAL                                  | 8,35,460                                     | 181.54                    |
|         | Grand Total                                  | 2,42,05,839                                  | 5,848.90                  |